


Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Liberators of Fate

by Navarchu



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Abusive Parents, Angst and Feels, Blood and Injury, Brotherhood, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Bonding, Chaotic Good, F/M, Genocide, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pansexual Character, Past Child Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Torture, Road Trips, Siblings, Steampunk, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:34:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 35
Words: 101,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27284989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Navarchu/pseuds/Navarchu
Summary: Two brothers leave their hometown in order to find their own place in the world ahead. Trough trials and hardships, the duo persists while dark forces try to stop them.Story is also posted to fanfiction.net under the same name.
Relationships: Lucario/Sirnight | Gardevoir
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Dungeon 1 - Brotherhood

The void. A place that is devoid of any light and without anything in it. And yet, a small Pokémon was there. A Riolu walked around the nothingness, with sweat running through his blue fur. The canid trembled and looked around, trying to find an exit. A laugh echoed behind him and he gasped in shock, turning around.

Across the void, he could see two red eyes, staring at him. The figure opened its mouth and showed sharp teeth, giving another laugh.

"Stop, please, I-" The Riolu stammered, feeling a sharp pain in his chest.

"What are you going to do now, Number 10?" it said, smirking with its teeth. "You think running away will get rid of what happened?"

"A-AH! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" He fell to the ground, blood leaking from his torso.

Ignoring the pleas, the creature started to multiply, as multiple sets of eyeballs materialized themselves around the pitch-black place and a laugh echoed across the void, getting louder and louder until...

* * *

The Riolu woke up, gasping for air.

He was inside a bedroom, on the top of a bunk bed, safe from whatever was plaguing his dreams. The Riolu breathed deeply, coming down to the floor. In his room, he could see two tables, the first one contained a few books, tagged at specific pages. The Riolu stared at a corner, seeing a mirror.

"Lance, you're fine," he said, trying to convince himself. Gazing at his reflection, Lance put his paw on his chest. "It was just another nightmare."

On the Riolu's chest was a claw-like scar, so deeply ingrained that anyone could see it. Pondering for a few seconds about the nightmare, Lance noticed a bag on the floor. Moving his ears, the boy put it on, leaving the room by the door.

"My stuff is packed," he shrugged. "Hopefully, my brother's as well."

Lance descended the stairs to his living room, glancing around for any sign of his brother. The well-worn sofa in the corner was empty, the bookshelf beside it was neatly organized. Leave it to Brian to organize their bookshelf before he left. A radio in the center of the room sat untouched, covered in a layer of dust. It had been a gift from his Uncle James, but it ended up unused. Books had always interested him more than fancy technology.

"Brian must have already left," His stomach rumbled, reminding him of how hungry he was, so he made a beeline for the kitchen.

The kitchen had a table for five Pokémon and a fireplace in the back, wood already placed. Lance went to a corner, opening a refrigerator. After a moment of deliberation, he took an apple and ate it in silence. After finishing it, the Riolu then left the house, a stern look on his face.

* * *

Outside, the city seemed to be thriving, as most of the villagers were going about their daily jobs. The Riolu lived on a busy street, as there were several storefronts. One of the first was a market, where two Kecleon were talking to customers. Next, a black edifice with a line formed at the entrance, containing a Machop, a Meowth, and a couple of Wurmple. The weather was calm, with a light breeze filling the town.

"Man, the bank is full today," Lance sighed and looked up, on the distance he could see a large building, shaped like the letter H. Pinned to it was a large sign which read: Exploration Guild Hero. "Brian's probably at the guild, but it doesn't matter. I need to take time for myself." Shrugging, he walked to the left, towards a beach.

* * *

The Hero guild was famous for being a subdivision of a legendary team of the same name. Its leaders were four Pokémon: Shiron, Nick, Yukino, and James. Due to a high demand mission, James stayed in the guild to take care of the administration and recruitment of new members, while his companions went to perform the task in a distant continent.

James was in his office, looking at the village through the window, taking an ice cream made with an Oran Berry. The Typhlosion turned around, sitting at his desk and looking at the papers of the newly graduated team, Team Liberators. The team contained only two members at the moment, but both were already known to James: Brian and Lance were the sons of one of his companions.

"I hope they do a good job..." James mumbled to himself, licking the candy in his hand.

He heard a noise from someone knocking on the door. Curious, he swallowed the rest of the dessert and cleaned his mouth with a napkin.

"If you have an appointment, you can come in!" said James, waiting for the mysterious visitor. The door opened and a Zorua ran inside the office, a toothy grin on his face. "Good morning Uncle James!"'

"It's a huge coincidence, I was just looking at your team file. I must congratulate you, you graduated so fast!" James said with a smile, getting down on his knees and extending his hand to little Pokémon.

Brian shook James' hand with his paw, wagging his tail slightly.

"So, what are you doing here? Have you found your first mission?"

"Lance and I are leaving. I woke up early, so I decided to say goodbye!" He gave a faint laugh.

"Hoho, I see!" James chuckled, "And where are you two going?"

"We'll be going to Bright Dawn, the biggest city on Eutrios!" Brian said, transforming himself into a Metang. "It's gonna be so fun, we'll work by ourselves!" he shape-shifted again, becoming a Machamp, flexing his muscles.

"You're excited about this, aren't you?" James clapped at the show.

"Yes, yes! Lance is…" he went back to normal, ears drooping. "He's as neutral as usual, I guess."

"I understand. I wouldn't blame him for that, he's still thinking about the incident, right?" James sighed. "It's just that it's been so long. I thought he would have gotten better."

"The truth is, he was never the same." Brian shook his head sadly. "But I'm trying to help, so I'm leaving with him."

"It's not good to dwell on the past, but I understand that point of view. I don't think your father will be very happy with this decision, especially considering you're both only sixteen." James scratched his chin.

"I think I came to ask a favor too. Listen, if Dad comes back while we're traveling, let him know what we did, ok? I'll try to convince my brother to come back here for visits as soon as possible, but it might be hard to convince that dork..."

James laughed a little, rubbing his hand on little Zorua's head.

"All right, I can do that. And good luck to you both, you'll need it. As your uncle, I worry; be careful, okay? I know your brother trained for so long, but it's never too much."

Brian just nodded and left the room running. That was the decisive moment: if they were going to leave, it had to be now. And so he did. The boy ran and ran, the village's exit was right in front of him and with it, his and his brother's future.

* * *

Meanwhile, Lance walked around the town's beach, contemplating the ocean's waves that were splashing his feet. Far away, a few Lapras swam on the waves. He needed that moment, away from all problems and distractions. To forget what made the nightmares begin.

"I'm not Number 10 anymore," he snarled, clenching his fist. "And I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna make the world a better place so that nothing like that happens again."

Determined to fulfill that promise, the Riolu took a deep breath, wrapping a gray bandana around his head, and then walked away to meet his sibling.

Brian was waiting for his brother in front of the town’s welcome sign. He was ready to go, with a backpack on and goggles around his neck. He was thoughtful, but was sure that his decision was the best he could have made. Turning his head, he saw his brother approaching and waved to him.

"Lance! Our journey starts now, right?! Let's do it!" the Zorua wagged his tail as he waited for the Riou to approach.

"Yes... our journey begins now. Goodbye, Thornwell." Lance looked at the sign, a certain melancholy in his eyes. He then began to walk without even looking back.

Brian looked at the sign next to his brother, and at the village where they grew up. After hesitating for an instant, he shook his head, ignoring the thought and following his brother in silence.

"Dad will probably take a while to arrive, his team's mission seems to be dangerous... do you think he will come back in one piece?" he said, staring at the Riolu.

"He is perfectly capable of taking care of himself." Lance just shrugged. "He and his teammates are strong Pokémon, I wouldn't worry too much about that if I were you."

"Hehe, very well brother! We're gonna do it, right?!" Brain laughed, staring at the horizon. "We're gonna make our own destiny!"

To that, Lance gave a faint smile. The two did not know what the future would bring for them, but they were sure that the journey ahead would bring conquests and challenges for them both. And so, they left the place where it all began, prepared for whatever would happen next.


	2. Dungeon 2 - Heart of Steel

In the middle of the night, a Druddigon ran through the streets, blood dripping from his arms as his heart palpitated. The Pokémon looked back to make sure there was no one following him before he stopped in an alley. Panting, he leaned against the wall, grumbling to himself about the situation he was in.

Suddenly, the Pokémon heard something crawling. Desperate, he opened his mouth, filling it with flames. He was prepared to attack whatever was chasing him.

"Whoever you are, I can make it up to you!" The reptile screamed, trembling with fear, looking around. "My job gave me a lot of money! I can give twice as much as your contractor promised! No... I'll give you triple! Please don't kill me!" He yelled, trying to reason with whoever was there.

In the air, a pair of black eyes appeared, and as soon as the Druddigon turned his face to see what had appeared, he was taken by an enormous fear; his body wouldn't move even if he tried with all his strength. He was paralyzed.

"Well, I could spare you, but... our team doesn't like to leave a job unfinished." He heard a voice, but he couldn't see anyone.

"T… team?! Who do you think you are?! I am Razor! I will be the next mayor of Bright Dawn! You don't know who you are messing with..."

Suddenly, a pink blade appeared in the air, produced by psychic powers, and hit the Druddigon's chest. The dragon, shocked by the blow, fell to the ground, his chest leaking with blood.

"Who... are you?" Razor trembled, barely able to stand up.

"The Heart of Steel Crew carefully chooses its targets... my name is Flint. Not that it matters." The owner of the voice spoke, coming out of the shadows and revealing himself.

Razor raised his head with the little strength he had left, looking at who had attacked him. The Pokémon in front of the politician was a humanoid being; his head was round and red and black colored, similar to a war helmet. A golden blade was fixed to his helmet, and only his eyes were visible through a gap on the front of it. The attacker's stomach was well defined, with two blades that made his abdomen look like a ribcage.

"Mercenaries... I've heard of you, all your members are Steel-type and do dirty jobs..."

Razor used all his strength to get up. The flames in his mouth grew and he let out a puff towards the Bisharp.

The dragon's sudden attack caused a big explosion, and he felt his heart accelerate. After the smoke dissipated, he saw a little doll where the criminal was.

"He used Substitute!" Razor said, feeling his body weakening with the loss of blood he suffered. Despite his weakness however, he remained alert.

"Your capacity for analysis is impressive. Then again, it's to be expected." Flint said, his voice was in the opposite direction of Razor, who turned, but, weakened, fell to the ground, his breathing was slower.

"Well, Psycho Cut is a move that has more chances to do critical damage... dragons may be powerful, but none are invincible," Flint said, smirking.

"Please... spare my life... I will reward you and your companions any way you want..."

"If you were talking with another companion of mine, maybe he would accept your proposal... But unfortunately for you, that's not the case for me."

In a simple move, Flint cut through the air, generating a wind blade. The attack was directed at the dragon's throat, who only had the time to scream. He had given his last breath. The murderous Pokémon disappeared in the shadows, his mission was now accomplished.

* * *

In another area of the city was a bar. The place was crawled with different Pokémon, and some of them were talking amongst each other, others were looking at a mission board. Unlike guilds, however, this place was used by mercenaries who wished to find jobs. Inside the pub, an Empoleon and Aggron were talking between sips of the beer.

"Napoleon! You know I couldn't have sent you on this mission, you can't see a coin without wanting it!" The white Pokémon spoke with a laugh, looking at his companion.

"And you, Atlas, are too scared... This is a unique opportunity! To end the competition for the mayor of this city!" The Empoleon grumbled, drinking some more of the beer.

"Flint is stealthy and effective, he will fulfill the task to perfection. Next time I'll let you go after our target..." Atlas said while placing the glass on the table.

"Whatever, the mayor paid us a huge amount of money..."

The two of them heard the bar door opening and with it, a hissing noise that they both recognized. As they turned back, they saw their companion, the Bisharp named Flint.

"If I had ears, they'd be burning. You were talking about me, right?" The Pokémon said as he approached the team, sitting in a chair.

"Yeah, apparently Atlas thinks I'm a money junkie..." The penguin said, taking another sip.

"And is he wrong by any chance?" Flint shrugged. "Anyway, Razor's dead, it was an easy job. Please, next time I go, get me a more challenging mission than that."

Atlas finished drinking before opening his backpack and throwing some coins onto the table. After that, he got up, facing his companions.

"Well, I'll take your two requests into consideration." The big reptile spoke to them.

"Understood, chief. " The penguin said with a laugh, waving to the Aggron as he left the establishment.

"I'm not carrying you out of here, I have to pick up the reward with our client," Flint mumbled, sighing.

"I'll stay here a little longer!" He laughed, waving to the waiter to order another glass.

Flint just shrugged and got up, leaving the bar. He left in silence, walking through the streets of the city.

* * *

The Bisharp made his way towards the city hall building, walking through the dark parts of the city and looking at the other residents. Due to the time, few Pokémon were out of their homes, and those who were out were in bars, so there wouldn't be many witnesses. If the police investigated, Flint would be safe.

"Well, if anything, I can blame that fat Empoleon." He muttered to himself.

The icy wind was blowing on his body while the Pokémon walked in silence, in the distance, smoke steamed from factories. Arriving at city hall, he went directly to the office, seeing a Gothitelle sitting on a chair. She wore a neutral expression.

"Do you have a reservation?" The Gothitelle spoke rigidly.

"Secretary Jane, tell the mayor that I'm Flint. He knows who I am."

The Psychic-type picked up a wired phone from the desk, typing some numbers on the keypad. Once she received an answer, she briefly described the Pokémon who had entered the building.

"You can go up the stairs, sir." She said, writing some things in a notebook.

Flint went up the stairs, reaching the floor of the mayor's office. He knocked on the door.

"You can come in!" A voice from inside the room said.

Flint opened the door, entering the office. The place was wide, having a painting of the mayor on the wall. The mayor, an Alakazam, was simply staring at the Bisharp with a neutral expression, rubbing his mustache. He held a glass of wine in his hand.

"Mayor Prometheus. As you requested, the job is done." The Bisharp said, his face blank.

"Very well... I assume there are no witnesses?" The Alakazam commented, taking some more of the drink.

"I threw his body in the sewers and there are not many Pokémon out in town." He nodded. "Well, except the mercenaries in that bar."

"Right... I thank you for the job well done, I see that I can count on you if needed." The mayor put the glass on the table, opened a drawer, and took out a closed envelope.

"Of course you can. If you wish to use our services, we will always be at your disposal." He answered. "Well, our boss is a little paranoid, but I'm sure I can convince him."

Flint then approached the table, taking the envelope and putting it in his backpack. He eyed his client.

"If you want to hire us again, you know where to find us." At that, the Bisharp left, going on his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to be different, as the protagonists of this story are not present in any way. And the reasoning for that is that I wanted to introduce characters that will be more important as the story advances. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it.


	3. Dungeon 3 - Travelers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back to the protagonists, they are on their way to a new town, but something happens, halting their progress.

Two Pokémon walked along a road, flanked by a large forest filled with thick trees on both sides. It was dark, and the only light source was the moon, shining in the sky. One of them, a Riolu, was checking a map, grumbling to himself. The other one, a Zorua, stared at him.

"Lance... you have no idea where we're going, do you?" the Zorua said.

"We're going the fastest way. As I said before, Brian, I have a plan..." Lance said with a stoic look on his face.

"I've heard you say that so many times!" he grumbled. "Is this the right way to Bright Dawn?"

Lance sighed and stopped walking, showing the map to his sibling. On it was a town marked with an "X", and its distance from the boys' hometown was large.

"As you can see, it's gonna take a while," Lance shrugged. "At least by foot."

Brian smirked, turning into a Torkoal, walking slowly. "We're... gonna... take... so long... to get there..."

Lance grumbled and ignored his brother's antics.

"You know, we left the village two days ago, and you hardly said anything the whole trip..." Brian commented while walking, now back to normal.

"I don't like to talk and you know it," was all the Riolu said.

* * *

They continued to walk for some time. From afar, they could see a Pokémon with a wagon, which was turned upside down. Noticing this, the duo started to run, worried about what had happened.

The Pokémon was a Croagunk, who waved to the pair, realizing by the badges on their bodies that they were explorers.

"Good night, sir... what happened here?" Lance asked, approaching the group.

"A carriage... I never saw one in our village!" Brian said soon after, arriving after his brother. He looked at the vehicle, seeing some Pokémon with the shape of a gear where the wheels were.

"Thank you for admiring our vehicle, but we are not in a very good situation," the Croagunk said, clearing his throat.

"We are Team Liberators, my name is Lance and this Zorua is my brother. We'll be happy to help you." he took the team's crest, showing it to the frog.

"My name is Brian!" he waved.

"I'm Gama. We were driving along the road with Marty, the Zebstrika driving the carriage. Out of nowhere, we were attacked by a gang of Mightyena! They were crazy, caught Marty, and ran with him into the forest! I barely had time to react, I could only protect the little Klink!"

"I understand... those Mightyena must be wild," the Riolu scratched his chin, thoughtful. "Some scholars say that Pokémon lose their rationality if they stay too long in Dungeons."

"We have to go to… Dusk Woods, right?" Brian asked, gulping.

"Yeah…" Lance nodded, looking at the Croagunk and soon both entered the place.

* * *

**Dusk Woods**

Brian noticed the eeriness the dungeon had. The trees looked almost dead, someone could destroy them with a punch, and a heavy fog only served to amplify that eeriness. He could even see one of the trees distorted, probably due to the nature of mystery dungeons. Looking for someone here would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Despite that, the team pushed on. Sometimes they fought one or two feral Pokémon, but overall, it was a calm trip.

"This place is huge. Can't you use your aura to find him?" Brian stopped, stepping on a dark log and breaking it.

"I was going to do exactly that..." Lance sighed, closing his eyes and concentrating.

The Zorua stood in a combat position, attentive to every movement around then as his brother focused on his meditation. Riolu and its evolution, Lucario, were famous for being able to manipulate aura, a type of energy present in living beings, for several purposes. The little Pokemon's ears moved while he meditated, looking for the Zebstrika's aura in the forest. The process was slow and draining, so Lance was focusing as much as he could on the search.

Lance saw his surroundings in shades of black and blue. He concentrated even further, looking deeper into the dungeon for Zebstrika's aura. In this case, being near Mightyena, the zebra should be easier to find.

Eventually, Lance found him. The Zebstrika was close to three of the wild Pokémon. Lance opened his eyes, falling to his knees and panting. Brian, noticing this, approached his brother with a worried look on his face.

"Before you say anything, I'm fine... I found Marty, come on! We don't have much time!"

The two of them followed the forest inside, and as they approached the location, they smelled blood in the air, which only grew stronger and stronger. Brian shivered, the scent was nauseating to him. Lance, on the other hand, seemed normal.

"I don't think I'd want to spend much time here... We gotta go quick!"

"Imagine losing all your sapience just by… being here. So yes, we need to go."

Brian just gulped. This was their first official mission as a team and he wanted it to be a success. Even more importantly than that, he wanted to keep his brother safe; so he ignored the shivers and kept going.

* * *

**Deep Dusk Woods**

The dungeon became rockier. Lance took his time to survey his surroundings as he thought of a plan. As he walked, he could see a few skulls scattered on the floor; likely made by the pack of ferals.

On the ground, they could see the Pokémon they were supposed to rescue, wounded and covered with bite marks. Near him were two of the Mightyena, their teeth stained blood-red. Besides them was another, bulkier Mightyena. The leader of the pack.

One of the Mightyenas growled, licking its teeth. The feral lunged forward, towards Brian.

Lance extended his arm, firing a shot of energy. The Mightyena was sent towards a rocky wall, knocking it out.

Seeing the Force Palm, the pack leader snarled and lunged towards Lance. Behind the boys, another Mightyena lunged at them with fiery fangs.

Brian rammed against the Mightyena with a dark aura surrounding his body before it could hit his brother. Brian backed away, muttering to himself.

"Thanks for using Pursuit, Brian." Lance snapped his fingers, looking at the bulky Mightyena.

"Be careful, Lance!" Brian stood before the other Pokémon, his body glowing in a dark aura again.

The leader of the pack swiped his claws at Lance. Lance tried to block to protect his scar, and was knocked back a few meters. The Mightyena's tail shone a silvery, metallic tone. He swung it at Lance, hitting the Riolu. Lance crashed against the wall and fell down.

"D-Damn…"

He got up, trembling for a bit. The impact was stronger than he thought, but he did his best to ignore the pain. He had a job to do.

Brian, on the other hand, dodged the fierce attacks of the ferals he faced. When he heard his brother hit the wall, he focused on him, worried.

"Lance! Are you... Argh!" he shouted in pain.

One of the Mightyena charged its fangs with electricity, biting the Zorua while he was distracted. Brian, even screaming and in pain, took advantage of this. He copied the Force Palm Lance used, firing a blue energy beam on the Mightyena. The feral hit the ground and fainted.

"I need to finish this…" Lance rubbed the sweat off his forehead. He faced the leader of the pack. His red eyes glowed blue, and his small feelers twitched.

Lance looked up, checking the rocky formation around them, and grinned. The Mightyena growled, running towards Lance.

_Let's go,_ he thought.

Lance fired another beam, but it seemed to miss his opponent. Instead, the attack struck the wall behind the Mightyena. Large pieces of rubble broke off from the formation and began to fall. The Mightyena could barely react, other than desperately trying to avoid the falling rocks.

"Just like I thought," Lance chuckled, firing more beams in quick succession.

The shots hit the rocks mid air, sending them all down on the Mightyena. Unable to dodge them all, the feral leader fainted.

Brian approached his brother, panting, but at least they had won. All that remained was to take Zebstrika back. Lance opened his backpack, taking three Oran Berries and eating one, then throwing another to his brother.

"We're done here." Lance approached the Zebstrika, forcing the last berry down his throat.

Marty opened his eyes slowly, seeing the two strangers. He shook his head as his wounds were beginning to heal.

"Where… am I? Who are you?" he asked the two brothers.

"We are an exploration team. We were hired to rescue you. My name is Lance and this is my brother, Brian." He pointed to Zorua.

"That's right, we knocked out the Mightyenas, but they might wake up soon, we have to go now."

"Oh, thanks..." Marty got up, legs shaking.

The trio then went back through the forest, and the two brothers were alert the whole walk back. Although the pack was defeated, they could still find more enemies in the forest. And, now that a client was with them, it would be even more dangerous.

* * *

Fortunately, the trip back was quiet and they brought the zebra safely to the carriage. Upon noticing the trio, Croagunk's eyes lit up, surprised by the efficiency of the unknown team.

"Marty! You're all right!" Gama ran to help his friend.

"I am... thanks to those two." Marty gave Gama a light smile.

"Ah, our pleasure!" Brian blushed the compliment.

"It's our job. We gave him an Oran Berry, but I hope both of you take more care from now on." Lance spoke.

Lance began to walk off alongside his sibling, when he got pushed back by Gama. Lance's immediate reaction was to back away and growl.

"Boys! You deserve the reward! Where are you going?" Gamma spoke smiling.

"We are going to Bright Dawn! Why?" Brian asked with his eyes shining, already suspecting what the reward would be.

"I think I can speak for my friend and say that we would be happy to take you, but Bright Dawn is a bit far. What do you say we take you to the nearest village, instead? If you go on your way, it will take you a long time to reach your destination," Marty spoke while hitting his hooves on the ground.

"It's okay with me, I always wanted to travel in a carriage," said Lance with a nod.

"Very well boys, but we will have to leave tomorrow. Marty is still hurt, so let's set up a small camp, okay?" Gama asked.

The two boys agreed and went to get wood in the forest. Meanwhile, Gama helped Marty on the ground carefully so as not to open his wounds, and sighed.

* * *

At midnight, Lance was asleep leaning against a wooden log. The Zebstrika was lying there with his eyes closed, while Brian was looking at the sky in silence. Gama approached the Zorua, sitting beside him with a smile on his face.

"I wanted to thank you and your brother, but by the looks of it, he's already asleep."

Brian sighed, this kind of conversation could become common if his brother remained emotionally distant.

"Yeah, he doesn't like to talk a lot with anyone, beyond what is necessary. Sometimes I think he only talks to me because we are on the same team..."

"That could be bad for relations with your clients... Sorry to intrude, but can you tell me why he is like this? Or is it just how he is?" Gamma leaned against a log.

Brian looked away, reliving old memories. He then shook the thoughts from his mind.

"I don't like to talk about it," he said. Brian looked away, sighing.

"Well, that's okay. It's good for you to rest, I can tell that the fight you had was intense!"

Brian agreed, yawning and lying on the floor. Gama chuckled a little and moved away from Brian, closing his eyes and trying to sleep. Brian still couldn't fall asleep, his mind was full of what was to come for him and Lance. The challenges they would face, and whether or not he could protect Lance. Eventually, his tiredness overpowered these thoughts, and he drifted off to sleep.


	4. Dungeon 4 - Thunderstruck: Part 1

As the morning came, the brothers rode in the carriage they had rescued the other day. Brian looked out the window, watching the local landscape, while Lance read a book in silence.

"We're almost there..." Marty said to the passengers.

"We'll leave you here, this village is called Heavenwind. It's famous for its mountain, and a few explorers go there to check it out," The Croagunk grinned, facing the siblings.

"Oh, I've heard of it! They live near a mountain, and most of the residents are flying Pokémon!" Brian smirked, tail wagging.

"We are not going to climb the mountain..." Lance sighed.

Brian stuck his tongue out at his brother and continued to look through the window. Lance shrugged and went back to reading the book.

The vehicle stopped a few minutes later, allowing them to see the village they had arrived at. Lance kept the book in his backpack and got down from the carriage, stretching. He was soon followed by his brother, who was looking at the new location.

"Thanks, guys, if you need to travel, send us a letter! We are the Zebrunk transportation company," Gama spoke smiling brightly.

"I told him it was a stupid name, but he never listened to me," Marty grumbled, ashamed of his friend.

"I understand, well, we appreciate the service," Lance just agreed and walked out.

"Thank you, gentlemon!" Brian said, leaving right after the Riolu.

* * *

Before long, they found themselves in the village. It wasn't the largest town the brothers had seen, but the buildings were very tall. Flying Pokemon darted through the air from building to building. As they walked, they noticed some villagers on the street, some going to markets, and others just walking. Pidgeotto, Talonflame, and even Braviary populated the town. Further away, they saw part of the mountain, which extended as far as their eyes could view. Lance stopped and pointed to a large, red-colored building.

"It's a hotel. Let's go in and make a reservation," Lance said. "I know you want to explore this village, so you're free to do that after."

Brian jumped, turning into a Pidove and making some chirps; his brother wasn't amused, and simply ignored it.

"I'll see if I can find something to buy for us! And I'll send a letter to Uncle James," Brian grinned. "He deserves to know where we are."

With a sigh, Lance shrugged and kept walking, entering the hotel with his brother. On a chair was a Ledian, snoring and appeared to be on a deep sleep. Lance hit the table of the place, trying to get the insect's attention. The Pokémon woke up, falling from his chair and getting up in a hurry.

"Good morning. I would like to make a reservation here for me and my brother," Lance said pointing to Brian.

"We're Team Liberators!" Brian mentioned as he approached.

"My name is Beet and I'm the manager of this hotel. Hm, are you new? It's been a while since any team visited this village."

"Our team was formed a short time ago," Lance crossed his arms.

"How long will you stay here? We haven't received many visitors lately," Beet took a notebook in a desk drawer with one of his arms, and with another, he took a pen.

"We will stay only for one day. We are going to Bright Dawn and we decided to stop here," Brian spoke calmly, looking at the hotel.

"Bright Dawn? That place receives new Pokémon all the time, it's a good choice." Beet finished writing down their names, and yawned.

Suddenly, the three of them heard a bell ringing loudly. The Ledian looked at the door, making sure no one was around, and spoke to the boys.

"If I were you, I'd stay here. Something bad is about to happen..."

Hearing this, Lance rolled his eyes, heading to the door and opening it slowly.

* * *

Outside, the birds flew to their houses, except for one. A Corviknight just stared at the cave's entrance, as if he was waiting for someone to show up. Then three Pokémon left the entrance, a shiny Luxray, a Luxio, and a Graveler. The trio approached the Flying-Type, who stood firmly in place.

"Mayor Percival, it's very good to see you again," the shiny Luxray said, approaching the bird with a wide, toothy smile.

"I know the reason for your visit Teslan, the money is with me." Percival extended his wing, throwing a few coins on the ground.

The Luxio who accompanied Teslan picked up the coins, putting them in a backpack quietly and distancing himself from the two. The small Pokémon then began to count the money.

"Very good, Virgil," The Luxray said, turning his face to the subordinate.

"So, anything else?" Percival huffed. "Or will you extort more from us?!"

"Boss, the money he gave isn't enough," the Luxio said, showing the money in his backpack.

When Teslan heard this, he turned and growled at the Corviknight. Electricity sparked from his body.

"Do you think you can fool me like that, you worthless bird?" he growled, preparing to attack.

"We don't have enough money!" Percival glared at him. "If you want the rest, you'll have to wait!"

The lion roared, his whole body wrapped in an electric aura, he fired a bolt of lightning at the Corviknight, who cried out in pain, fainting. The Pokémon hiding in their homes left immediately, trying to rescue Percival.

"Hmph," Teslan growled, looking at the villagers. "Listen here! You have two days to bring the rest of the money! Your mayor will be an example of what will happen to anyone who disobeys!"

The three Pokémon left the town and entered the cave in silence. Meanwhile, the commotion from the attack on the mayor increased, and a Tropius helped carry him to the local hospital.

From the hotel, Lance had seen the scene through the door. He gnashed his teeth and clenched his fists. His brother was also agitated, looking to the floor and thinking about what to do.

"So... has this become routine for you?!" Lance asked Ledian, his anger evident in his voice.

"Hey, calm down kid! We don't like it, but we're used to it! I wouldn't pick a fight with them if I were you!" Beet crossed his four arms, looking seriously at Lance.

"W-What about the police?!" Brain asked, lowering his ears. "Won't they do anything?"

"Are you kidding me, kid?" The Ledian screamed at Brian, staring at him. "If we tried, we would either be fried or get lynched with rocks!"

"It doesn't matter! You are being oppressed and your plan is just to let it happen?! Not with me here! I'll fix it! Tell the mayor of this village that these Pokemon will no longer be disturbed!"

As he said that, Lance ran out of the hotel, a determined expression on his face. Brian ran behind him, worried about Lance and also angry about the situation.

"Lance!"

"If you're not going to help, at least don't get in the way," Lance said, turning his face to his brother.

The two stopped running at the base of the mountain. Lance crossed his arms, thinking about the strategy they would use to face this new enemy. His brother, a little scared by the Riolu's attitude, followed him in silence. In front of them was a cave entrance, where they entered in silence.

* * *

**Pebble Cave**

The cave, as expected, was rocky. Strangely, parts of it seemed to be flooded, with water pooling in certain areas. Zubat hung sleepily from the cavern's ceiling.

"Impressive..." Brian spoke to himself.

"We have to concentrate Brian! Focus!" Lance kept running. His heart raced as he ran without looking back, focusing solely on finding the feline flock.

Lance's tunnel vision was enough for him to not notice the blow that came his way. A huge rock collided with him, spinning fast. He hit the wall hard, falling to the ground and struggling to breathe.

"LANCE!" his brother screamed, looking for who had done it.

The Graveler appeared, smirking as he cracked his rocky knuckles and stared at the two explorers.

"It's the one from before!" Brian spoke in a low tone, analyzing the situation.

"You're not from around here, right? I imagine you've seen our "show" from earlier. I'm the guard of the gang and my job is to stop you from finding the boss!" the rocky Pokémon said, still keeping his smirk.

"You know... I'm gonna love to break that stupid head of yours," Lance said, getting up despite his legs trembling. He took one Oran Berry from his bag and ate it.

Brian grinned; he ran as fast as he could, throwing himself into the Graveler's body, the fox's own covered in dark aura.

This didn't work, however. The Rock-type laughed as he grabbed Brian with his hand, squeezing him tight.

"If you want him alive, you two will leave this place and never come back!"

Raising his eyes, Lance gave a loud laugh, holding himself to the wall. The Graveler blinked, growling at Lance. He crushed Brian's body even more, to the point it was possible to hear the Zorua's bones beginning to snap.

"I'm serious! He's going to die!"

"He's not going to turn into a ghost... although sometimes he can attack like one..."

Brian blinked his eyes, understanding Lance's message. He opened his mouth and shot a black ball at Graveler, who dropped the Zorua on the ground. Brian panted even being released, he still felt his body sore from the pressure.

Graveler moved away, his rocky body had a small crack where the blow had hit. He curled up like a ball and threw himself at Lance

"Hm. Rollout?"

Lance fired an energy beam at the rocky mon, sending him across the area and knocking him out.

Brian, with all the strength he had, wobbled towards his brother. He was relieved to see him okay, but that relief soon turned into frustration.

"What the hell was that? I almost died! If I hadn't understood your message, I would have!" he growled at Lance.

"It was all planned, relax, I won't let you die and... here... you need it more than I do..." Lance took an Oran Berry from his backpack and gave it to the fox.

Hesitantly, Brian ate the fruit, feeling his strength returning little by little. He helped his brother up and the two looked at their fainted opponent.

"We have no time to waste..." Lance was serious, walking deeper into the cave.

His brother limped after him while his wounds healed. They continued along the path of the cave. As there were no more Oran Berries, they would have to be more careful. The path was getting rougher, and the corridors narrower as they walked.

Even so, they had to continue. The mission they were on was not official, but they needed to succeed. The birds that lived in this village did not deserve to live in fear, so the team pushed forward, determined to help those villagers.


	5. Dungeon 5 - Thunderstruck: Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second part is here! I hope you guys are enjoying it so far!

The brothers continued on their mission through the cave. Lance ran forward with a serious look, his breaths short and fast. Brain followed behind, an apprehensive look on his face.. The tunnel they dashed through was illuminated only by a light at the end.

"We have to be careful not to be like Bouffalant at the end of that corridor," Brian said in an attempt to break the ice.

"Brian! We are on a serious mission! We don't have time to crack jokes!" his brother snapped, turning to face the Zorua.

As they approached the end of the tunnel, they could hear voices ahead. . The brothers stopped to catch their breath and listen in on their enemies.

* * *

"You left them in a very precarious situation!" one of the Pokémon said smugly.

"Well, that's what those useless birds deserve." the yellow Luxray said, eating a piece of unknown meat.

"They're not useless..." The newest voice belonged to Lance. The boy approached the cat burrow, his brother tailing behind.

When they heard the Riolu, the Pokemon turned around, seeing the little blue canine. Teslan stood up, analyzing the teenager.

"You two... you're not from around here, right?" he said flatly, thinking about what he was going to do.

"We are Team Liberators!" Brian said, taking one step forward. "And there's no way we'll just watch what you do to those villagers!"

The two brothers were suddenly surrounded by several felines, Pokemon called Shinx. The leader laughed; he was clearly having fun with the situation.

"Tell me... when did you graduate from the guild? How old are you? Children like you should be at home..."

Lance closed his eyes for a moment, ignoring the comment he had received, and opened them, staring at Luxray.

"From what I could see, you are an idiot who thinks you can command others based on your strength... the type of guy I hate the most!"

"What do you think you can do, kid?! You may have passed our guard, but know that I'm not kidding!" he growled, his body shining in a yellow tone.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about... but I'm willing to make a deal with you and your gang. Face me, only me, and if you win, you can do whatever you want with me and my brother," he pointed to the Zorua.

"Hey, Lance! What are you talking about? Do you want to face this guy alone?! There's no way I'm letting you do this!" the small fox rolled his eyes, protesting against the idea.

Seeing what the boy said, Teslan laughed until tears came out of his eyes, which he wiped with his paw. He then looked down, still laughing, and then turned his eyes to Lance.

"Are you serious, kid? Do you think you can beat me in combat?"

"You're pathetic, why use brawn when you can simply use your brain?" he pointed to his head.

Brian opened his mouth to protest but was barred by two Shinx who put themselves in front of him, blocking his way. Lance looked back, slowly tilting his head, as if he wanted his brother to understand. The Zorua then stopped moving, deciding to pay attention to the fight.

"Okay, kid! If you wanna die so badly, who am I to deny you that?!"" the Luxray stepped into fighting position, staring at Lance with a murderous look.

* * *

The two were 5 meters apart and remained a few moments in silence. The challenger put his backpack on the ground, taking out an item and enclosing it in his fist. The tension in the cave was immense; they could attack each other at any time, but it seemed that each competitor was waiting for an opportunity to start the fight. Then, suddenly, the lion fired an electrical discharge in the area, causing a huge flash. The spectating Pokémon instinctively covered their eyes. Lance, as he opened his eyes, noticed that the color of the burrow had changed to yellowish tones.

"Electric Terrain," Lance backed away and took a look around.

"Exactly... now, let's go!" Teslan roared, his body enveloped by an electric aura as he charged, ramming his body against Lance.

The Riolu hit the wall, falling on his face, and felt the air leave his lungs. On the opposite side, Teslan had paced the cave, shaking his head; his Wild Charge had resulted in recoil damage. Brian just watched, thinking about what he could do.

Lance stood up, spitting out a little blood and wiping his face with his hand. Then he ran, crossing his arms in an "X" shape, and leapt. Teslan saw that and immediately picked up his pacet, his body barely being able to be seen at such speed, hitting Riolu with his head before he could be hit by the Cross Chop.

Lance smiled as the lion hit him, throwing the item he had been concealing in his hand. It created an explosion upon reaching its target, throwing the combatants away from each other.

"Lance!" Brian shouted, trying to run to help his teammate, but he was held by the Shinx.

On the other side, the Luxray got up, panting, breathing in the scent of his burned fur. He growled with rage, furious that he had been deceived by a small child.

"Blast Seed. Who would have thought you had such a thing, huh, kid?!"

Lance stood up, his body visibly bruised, blood starting to flow from his chest. However, he remained standing, determined to end the fight.

His brother had an idea. Brian moved away from the Shinx and concentrated, using his illusionary ability to camouflage himself as one of the members of Teslan's pack.

"You did well, kiddo. But… Time to finish this!" he said, advancing against the child.

As he walked, he felt a blow to his back, making him stumble and fall face down on the ground. Getting up, he looked back and saw a Shinx staring at him. The feline had on his tail a small tuft of red hair.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" The Luxray growled.

 _Wait... that's..._ Lance thought as he took a deep breath. He had to trust his brother so they could do the job. After all, they were a team.

And part of the trust was going to be tested now. Lance gathered all the strength he had in his body and ran, ignoring the wounds and the pain he felt in his bones. He capitalized on his brother's distraction, raising a fist. He punched Teslan's back, blue energy pouring from his hand.

Lance released that energy in the form of a beam, hitting the Luxray with full force and throwing him in Brian's direction.

Seeing this, Brian jumped, opening his mouth and shooting a shadow sphere at Teslan.

The Luxray hit the ground with a bang, unconscious upon impact. Lance fell to his knees and his breathing accelerated; he was losing blood. Brian ran to rescue his brother, looking around.

The Shinx ran outside; without their leader, they didn't know what to do. The Zorua ignored the felines and dug through his backpack, taking some strips to wrap around Lance's wound. Teslan would wake up eventually, but the priority at the moment was to stabilize his sibling.

Placing his brother's arm around his body, the Zorua started to walk out of the cave. He had to be fast, or his brother would die. Without looking back, the boys left the cave.

* * *

Outside, the Ledian spotted them both and, realizing Lance was hurt, ran to take them to the local hospital. Arriving there, the Riolu was put to bed. Brian remained outside, pacing in panic.

"He's not going to die... he's not going to die..." he repeated the sentence to himself, walking in circles, time seemed to stand still while he waited.

Finally, after what to him seemed to be hours, a Doduo appeared at his side. One of its heads was smiling, while the other had a frown.

"Your brother is stable," one of the Doduo's heads said to the boy.

"He should recover completely in a few days," the other head spoke.

Listening to what the doctor said, Brian gave a broad smile, wagging his tail. He gave a long sigh, relieved that his brother was well.

"Thanks, doctor... doctors..." he said, lying down.

"You can visit him soon, and... we'd like to thank you for standing up to that gang..."

"Ah! The gang! Quick, can you give me a paper?! And pen made for quadruped Pokemon! I need to send a letter to Thornwell, my hometown, as soon as possible!"

"T-The post office is that way!" he pointed using his head. "But boy! You are also hurt, you need to go to the hospital! I'll warn the mailman!"

Reluctantly, Brian accepted and entered the office, being attended by some of the birds. Team Liberators had managed to remove the gang from the lives of these villagers, but at the moment, they could only think about their physical recovery and the next step in their journey.


	6. Dungeon 6 - The Dawn of a new day

The Pokémon saw himself in an empty and tight space, the walls seemed to be made of metal, and there was only one door. He tried to open it by pulling the handle, but it was locked.

"Dad?! Mom?! It's Lance! Get me out of here!" he started knocking on the door, desperate. His eyes began to tear up as he tried to escape.

Suddenly, a loud bang sounded and the boy fell to the ground. The door crumbled, leaving only darkness. The Riolu moved away, trembling with fear. He tried to speak, but nothing came out.

"Lance!" he heard a voice screaming his name.

From the darkness, two red eyes appeared, staring at the crying boy.

"Lance!" the voice repeated.

The eyes seemed to approach Lance, and with that, more of the room disappeared into the darkness, which seemed to close in on the Fighting type.

"Stop it! Please!" he placed himself in a fetal position, crying and waiting for it to end.

Finally, the room was covered entirely by darkness, with Lance screaming as he was swallowed by the emptiness.

"LANCE!" the voice screamed again.

* * *

The Riolu woke up screaming, almost falling out of bed, and looked around. His brother was on his side, looking at him with a worried expression on his face. The two of them remained that way for a few moments, neither wanting to start the conversation. But Brian, gulping, decided to try.

"Did you... have a nightmare again?"

The Zorua's brother only nodded, placing a hand on his chest, right over his scars. He looked around the room, seeing that he was in the hospital of the village where they had arrived one day before.

"We beat that Luxray, didn't we?" Lance pondered, sitting up in the bed.

"Yeah, you got hurt pretty bad, and I had to bring you here!" he lowered his ears, worried about his sibling.

"Where is that Pokémon?" Lance took a deep breath, looking at his brother seriously.

"I sent a letter to our village and... half an hour ago, someone from dad's team came and took them. They're already out of Heavenwind."

Lance looked at the ceiling. He was still exhausted from the fight. Looking out the window, he saw that the flying Pokémon who lived in the village seemed to be happy, and the streets were peaceful.

"Hey, Brian..." the Fighting-type spoke, still distracted by the landscape. His face started to redden as he thought about what he was going to say.

"Hm?"

"I was going to end up beating that Luxray without your help, but thanks," he said, blushing and looking away.

"No need to thank me, dork... I'm your brother! And your teammate!" he gave a slight laugh.

The morning passed quietly for the duo, who remained in the hospital beds. At noon, the two of them left, fixing their backpacks on their backs. In front of them was the mayor, with splints on his wings and his body bandaged. He looked at them with a smile on his beak.

"Thank you on behalf of everyone that lives here... we couldn't have thrown them out without you."

"We were just doing our jobs," Lance crossed his arms, staring at the Corviknight sternly.

"I'm glad you think so, but I can't let you leave without saying thank you at least a little!" the bird walked closer, showing a bag full of Oran Berries.

"Oh, we ran out of those! Thank you!" Brian accepted the fruit, putting it in his bag.

* * *

The two brothers waved goodbye to the village and went on their way to the road. The two continued along the trail surrounded by trees. Lance looked at the map he brought for the trip.

"Here, look," he called his brother.

Surprised by the gesture, Brian approached the Riolu, looking at the map. On it, there was an X marking a large city with several buildings drawn around it.

"Dad's team goes there from time to time," The Zorua commented.

"There is a local guild there. We can register, not as apprentices, of course, but just to get missions, nothing much. They are a means to an end," He said with a neutral tone.

"How long will it take us to get there?"

"Thanks to the wonders of technology, we took a ride and that shortened a lot. I think by the end of the afternoon we will be in town," he said, continuing in silence.

After an hour of walking they could see, in the distance, smoke coming from a series of buildings. The factory was a sign that they were arriving in town, and that they would be able to have a little rest from their hectic journey. Continuing forward, they saw a tall gate in front of the city, with a cabin. In the compartment, there was a wide Pokémon with brown fur and a yellow circle on his chest. When he noticed the duo approaching, the Ursaring turned on the speaker.

"Freeze! Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Team Liberators. Formed in the exploration guild Hero. We moved here," Lance said, showing the team crest.

"Tsc," the bear grumbled, taking a paper and looking at a list of names. He, at last, opened the gate for the duo.

* * *

The two made their way inside the gates of Bright Dawn, and already they could see the difference. They were on a bridge that connected the entrance to the insides of the city. As he walked, the Zorua gazed on the sides of the overpass they were on, seeing a few pipes passing below. Brian could only look in awe at the city, where most of the buildings were made of with chimneys releasing fumes filled the area; setting a tone of industrialism.

"This place... is incredible!" Brian said as his eyes shined, impressed with the city. "Although I can't see the sun with all that gas. The Koffing must be having a party in those factories!"

"This is where we will spread our wings, brother," Lance said with a smirk. "Well, metaphorical wings anyway."

"I kinda wanna explore! I need to!" Brian couldn't contain his excitement, his tail wagged so hard it could break.

"We're going to the upper levels of the town. That's where the guild is," Lance said. "I can go by myself. You can go, just stay in the higher areas, and meet me in front of the guild. Okay?"

"See ya, Lance!" he smirked, dashing to the upper area.

* * *

Brian followed the streets of the city, looking at everything with rapt attention. He could see some light poles with what he believed were several Luminous Orbs on each of them, causing the Zorua to chuckle. He was always a fan of technology, after all. As he walked, Brian gazed on the wide street, where most Pokémon were walking to do their everyday tasks, coughing a little due to the vapors from the large factories in the background. The explorer finally stopped, staring at a store with a sign that read: "Watchog's Wares".

"If I'm not mistaken, Riolu evolves with the help of an item." Brian had an idea and decided to go inside.

"Hello young man, how can I help you?"

Looking where the voice came from, he saw the owner of the store: a Watchog wearing an apron. He had a toothy smile and waited for the boy to answer.

"I came to see some evolutionary items. Well, to see things in general, this store seemed interesting... sir..."

"Lumi," the Watchog answered with a smile. "And I have plenty of items. What are you looking for specifically?"

"Would you happen to have a Sun Ribbon?" he asked, sitting.

"Hmm... I think I do, wait here," Lumi left, entering a room. On his way back, he was carrying a chest. Placing it on the table, he opened it, showing a golden ribbon.

"That's exactly what I was looking for! How much will it cost?!" Brian gasped and stared at the ribbon.

"Considering it's a somewhat rare item... I'll make it for you for two thousand Poké."

"Two thousand?!" his eyes widened at the expensive price.

"Well, I bought them for four thousand... I'd say it's a reasonable price."

Brian opened his backpack, throwing the coins on the floor and grabbing the item. He ran, grumbling a little. Outside, he thought about what he would do with the rest of his free time.

* * *

At the guild headquarters, Lance was in the boss's room, sitting on a chair and drinking tea. Opposite him, also seated, there was a Swalot, who rubbed his yellow mustache. The room had a large bookshelf and a table filled with papers.

"Mr. Robert, I hope you understand my situation," Lance said after taking a sip of tea. "I heard about your guild while I was looking for where my brother and I were going to settle and I thought about coming here."

"But of course boy! You will be welcome!" the Poison-type laughed as he patted his large belly.

"Well, about our home, do you have any recommendations?" he put the glass on the table.

"In the building next to this one there is a condominium, I'll tell the landlord that you're coming, ok?" Robert grinned, looking at the Riolu's eyes.

"Right... so our discussion is over. I have to meet my brother and then we'll go there," Lance got up.

Robert extended his hand to the boy, who instinctively moved away from him. Despite finding that strange, the Swalot sighed and let the boy go his way.

* * *

As night came, clouds formed in the sky, and with them came the rain. Lance walked in silence, the water droplets fell on his fur. As he strolled, an Aggron passed right by him.

"Being Steel-type would be really useful with all this smoke," Lance sighed. "I can't wait to evolve.

"Hey! This is discrimination against me!" a voice said, coming from an establishment two blocks away.

Lance, recognizing the voice, ran to get closer. He saw his brother and in front of him, a Pangoro who had its arms crossed, looking at the Zorua.

"It is written here that Zorua and Zoroark cannot participate in the game to avoid cheating. Your illusions aren't allowed." the Pangoro pointed to a plate.

"So, that's discrimination!" the Zorua grumbled.

"We're here less than a day, and you're already getting into trouble..." Lance said, his arms crossed.

"Hey, Lance! This guy doesn't want to let me in just because I'm a Zorua."

"Sorry for my brother, sometimes he doesn't have a clue... come on, Brian, I've already talked with the guildmaster."

"Damn it," he grumbled, walking away. His brother was following right behind him.

"I got an apartment, well, the Swalot who runs the guild did, but that doesn't matter. Where did you go?"

"Well, I have a surprise for you," he laughed a little. "And I wanted to go to that casino, but they wouldn't let me in."

"A surprise? Okay, you can tell me inside our new home..."

After he said that, Lance stopped. They were in front of the building that would be their home for the foreseeable future. It was wide and like all the other places in the city, metallic and tall. The duo entered the building, going to the reception room. The receptionist was a Weavile, who stared at them.

"Lance and... Brian, right? Robert warned me that you would move in here. My name is Noir, and I'm the landlord of this condo," the Weavile told them.

While Brian looked at the place carefully, Lance nodded, waiting for the Pokémon to hand over the keys to the apartment. Noir then opened a drawer and threw the key to him, who took it and went to the stairs, looking at the number on the key. Brain trailed close behind. Their apartment was on the second floor, number 102, right at the beginning of the hall.

"Hehe, it looks like we found someone else who doesn't like to talk!" Brian said looking at his brother, laughing.

"You got the comedian of the year award..." he said as he opened the bedroom door.

* * *

The team's new home wasn't big, but it was comfortable. There was a sofa in the living room and on the left side was the kitchen, with a refrigerator turned off. At the end of the apartment, some doors led into the bedrooms and bathrooms. Lance locked the door behind them and threw the key on a table, stretching himself.

"I'm going to take a shower."

"Oh! They have a phone here!" Brian pointed to the table in the living room.

Ignoring his brother, Lance put his backpack on the floor and went to the bathroom calmly. Meanwhile, Brian put the item he had bought in his brother's backpack and laid down on the sofa, sighing with relief.

"Ah... that was a wonderful decision we made."

After turning on the shower, Lance sat on the bathroom floor, hugging his knees in silence. He hadn't demonstrated this to his brother, but the nightmare he had hadn't come out of his head yet.

_I'm fine... I'm safe... I'm fine... I'm safe..._

He remained wrapped in his thoughts for a while, crying alone and silently. The moon in the sky contrasted the rainy night and time seemed to stop for the boys, who had begun a new stage of their lives.


	7. Dungeon 7 - New Challengers appear!

Brian woke up yawning; he had slept on the couch of his new apartment. The Zorua scratched his eyes and went to the kitchen, smelling pancakes. When he got there, he saw Lance sitting on a chair. Their kitchen was small, but comfortable, having a table for five Pokémon and the same number of chairs. They also had a refrigerator, which was now turned on.

"I didn't know you were a cook," he said with a laugh, sitting on one of the chairs.

"I asked them to deliver here. I think my knowledge of cooking comes down to juice," Lance said, drinking some tea from a cup.

"So what's the plan for the day, Mr. Masterchef?" The Zorua took a pancake, eating a few bites.

"I'll look for some mission in the guild; we need to create a reputation."

"Well, there must be some Caterpie that got stuck in a hole out there," Brian smirked.

"By the way, today is your day to do the dishes. Mine's tomorrow," Lance said as he took his plate and put it in the sink.

"Hey! Who said you could decide that?!" Brian grumbled.

"For starters, I rented the apartment. Also, you're the one that will have to replace the Light Ball on our fridge once it runs out of power, I know you love fixing those things," he said, heading for the bathroom.

* * *

After they left the house, the brothers went into the streets of the city. As the day before, the streets were full of movement. In front of the guild, they saw a Tyrunt who was in a hurry. Curious, the duo followed the unknown Pokémon.

The guildhall was large and they could see a wide corridor with multiple doors leading to different areas of the building, alongside stairs that stopped at the guildmaster's office. On the first floor, the siblings saw the Rock-Type running to a large board containing missions. The Tyrunt jumped, trying to pin a paper to it.

"Excuse me, is everything ok?" Lance asked, approaching the Tyrunt.

"Hm?" the dinosaur turned. "Misters! Can you help me?" the child said, trembling a bit.

"That's what we're here for!" Brian said, trying to calm the kid down.

"My dad... he's gone... it's been four days!" on the paper was the image of a Druddigon.

Lance widened his eyes, the Tyrunt's words bringing up some memories. Brian noticed that and took a deep breath, keeping the friendly face to the Tyrunt.

"Nobody accepted your request for help?" the Riolu crossed his arms, looking at the boy.

"No... Daddy is a politician, someone must have made him disappear!" At that point, the Tyrunt had tears in its eyes.

"Kid... We will find your father, you can count on us!" Lance growled, clenching his fists.

The Tyrunt forced a smile, raising his head. "Thank you so much!"

"Lance, let's do it!" Brian nodded, preparing to leave the building, only for him to feel something grabbing his tail and when he looked back, Brain saw that it was his brother.

"Not yet, we need to ask more things first, charging into the unknown is pointless," Lance said. "Kid, what can you tell us about your dad, who was running his political campaign?"

"O-Oh, well, daddy worked in this big building, I can show you!"

Brian smirked. "Sounds like a plan, then."

* * *

They walked together through the streets. Brian decided to try and cheer up the child, turning into several different Pokémon, including an Aipom, even making the sounds of a feral one, until they had arrived at what appeared to be an old building.

"Oh, we're here!" Tyrunt shouted, smiling for a bit.

Brian continued to stare at the building. It appeared to be made from concrete, and its walls were cracked all around. How did a politician choose such a place for his campaign? He ignored that, thinking it wasn't that important; someone was missing.

Lance scratched his chin. "Got it, I'll take it from here, alright? Do you know the way home?"

"Y-Yeah, I do!"

"Alright. Brian," Lance said, looking at his sibling. "Can you escort him to his house? I'll meet you back at the guild."

Brian tilted his head, sighing. He turned around and left with the Tyrunt. Now alone, Lance wondered what the whole story was; something he would find out soon enough.

* * *

The inside of the building was even more hectic, countless piles of paper were on the ground, scrambled, while a Pikachu with glasses tried to collect them all, mumbling something to themselves. While there were tables and chairs, the latter were on the floor. Lance twitched his ears, waiting for them to say something; and since the Pikachu didn't look like they were doing that anytime soon, Lance cleared his throat.

"W-Wha…? A visitor? Oh my, I'm so sorry for this mess!" the Pikachu said, a feminine voice coming out from her mouth. She got up, trembling.

Lance raised a brow. "It's fine, I'm here for—"

"Oh, I know! With the police?!" Pikachu looked down. "L-Look, I already talked with them, I-I mean, detective Apollo came here earlier this week. Look, mister Razor is missing, but I have nothing to do with it! He was so good, even hiring my services, considering how this place looks, I couldn't be more happy…"

Her aura radiated anxiety, something Lance knew very well, even without being an expert in aura sense like Lucario were. He opened his bag, showing the explorers badge of his team. "I'm a member of an exploration team, hired to investigate the disappearance of Razor. I believe you, alright? I just need to have some idea of what I'm going to do."

Pikachu blinked. "Oooh! Oh! That's better. How can I help you, then?"

"Well, first things first. When did you last see him?"

She bit her lip, trying to think of the answer to the question; her cheeks crackling with electricity. "A-A few… A few days ago, he was so nervous! Saying that… Someone was watching him from afar. I told him to go to the police, but he panicked even more!"

Lance watched in silence, processing all that she was saying. No suspects so far, it seemed, so that was the next step he needed to take. "Alright. Next question, then. Did anyone threaten you or him? It might help to have some suspects crossed off."

Pikachu trembled even more, trying to speak something, but found herself struggling to do that. Lance, noticing this, tried to reassure her. "Me and my brother have training, you won't be harmed in any way."

"I-I know one suspect, but if he finds out I told you… I'll disappear too, I'm… Sorry, I can't tell."

Growling, Lance thought about his options. _With no suspects, this will be a feral Ducklett chase…_

"I… Can't r-risk my life like that! I'm sorry, I really am, what happened was a tragedy, but…"

Lance looked at her in the eye. "You mentioned a detective. What if I were to talk to him? Witness protection and all. I mean, you're not a witness, I think. Regardless, it's your best option."

"Y-You would do that?!"

Lance grinned, it worked out, after all. "Why not? It's part of the job. I promise you I'll be doing that as soon as possible."

The Pikachu smiled, her eyes were sparkling. "O-Okay! I'll do that!"

"Go on, I'm waiting," Lance crossed his arms.

"S-So! About a week ago, we got a visit from this Gothitelle, she's the mayor's secretary and, well, she tried to bribe mister Razor."

Lance's eyes widened. "...A bribe? Oh."

"Y-Yeah, mister Razor refused to do that, and the next day, it started. Every time he came here, he complained about being followed wherever he went!"

Lance scratched his chin, so the mayor and his secretary were suspects? If nobody saw Razor again, the chances of him being alive were not high.

"I got it. Thank you for your help, miss."

Pikachu nodded. "You're welcome! What are you going to do now?"

"First I need to meet my brother again, then we'll figure out our next move. Don't worry, like I promised, I'll talk to this detective."

Lance left the place, thinking about what he would do next.

* * *

On his way to the guild entrance, Lance could see his brother from afar, looking down. He felt a shiver all over his body and ran as fast as he could to the doorway. His mind raced, trying to think of what happened. Lance didn't assume the worst, considering his brother was still there, but nonetheless, he worried.

"Lance, thank Arceus you're here!" Brian shouted, running to meet his sibling. He seemed to be okay, Lance couldn't see any wounds or bruises on him, only a faint aura of uneasiness.

"I… Are you okay?"

"Me? Yeah, I'm okay. That Tyrunt… Lance, once we got to his house, he got some terrible news, his dad…"

Brian didn't even need to finish the sentence for Lance to understand what was going on. He clenched his fist, that case just went from missing Pokémon to murder.

"Did you find anything useful? I feel awful for that kid!" Brian lowered his ears, whining.

Lance growled, looking around. Once he saw there weren't many Pokémon, he continued. "We have two suspects: the mayor and his secretary. That Druddigon was being followed and even bribed by them."

Brian's fur stood on end, and he had to contain himself from exploding right there. He wanted to do something as fast as he could. He spent a few minutes slowing his breathing.

"I think we should try to see the mayor," Brian finally calmed down, flashing a small smile.

"Yeah, we can try that, but I don't think you can see the mayor without an appointment," Lance shrugged.

"Not if you're a member of a famous exploration team!" laughing, he turned into a Lucario, a copy of his father. The only indication of the illusion was the tail, which had a red tip.

"That's... not a bad idea, come on!"

* * *

Stopping at the entrance, the two entered in silence. The mayor's secretary was sitting at his desk, reading a book. Getting closer, the "Lucario" tapped his paws on the table, trying to get her attention.

"Excuse me... miss…"

"Miss Jane. What can I do to help you?" the Gothitelle said without even looking at them.

"I'm Nick Williams, a member of Team Hero. And this is my son, Lance," he pointed to the Riolu.

"Good morning... we need to talk to the mayor," the boy said with his arms crossed.

"Let me see if he is available." she turned on the phone, calling the mayor, and then nodded.

* * *

Climbing the stairs, they went into the mayor's office. The building was also large, filled with rooms for all of the Alakazam's employees. The mayor had to be a busy Pokémon, but those two were determined to get answers.

"To what do I owe this team's visit?" the Alakazam said to the two Pokémon, his gaze fixed on them. The Psychic-type was not an idiot and tried to read their minds, although for some reason it didn't work on the Lucario.

"We received a mission from a Tyrunt; apparently his father disappeared," the Lucario crossed his arms, looking at the Psychic-type.

"He mentioned that the missing Pokémon was a politician, and—" Lance began to speak.

"You suspect me of having something to do with this, right?" Prometheus kept his gaze on them without even flinching. "I can tell, even without reading your minds."

Brian began to sweat but tried to stay calm. His brother took a slight look at him and faced Alakazam again.

"Well, I can assure you it wasn't me," he got up, looking through his office window. "It's a tragedy, certainly, and someone else has asked me about this. You can talk to the police, I was their first suspect. They will confirm that I'm innocent."

Lance closed his fists. He couldn't tell if the Alakazam was lying through his aura. They would have to find evidence to connect him to the case.

"I understand... I'm sorry to disturb you..." Brian turned around, getting out of there with Lance.

While the two of them were leaving, the mayor saw the Lucario's red tail, realizing the illusion.

_How did they know about me?! Who even are they? I can't bribe, not this time, it's too risky if they're already onto me!_

Prometheus picked up the phone. "I need to silence those brats…"

* * *

Half an hour later, at the lower parts of the city, three Steel-type Pokémon were talking to each other in a bar that was filled with mercenaries. They had received the Alakazam's message and were now discussing what their next move would be.

"Well, which one of us will take care of the target this time? They're a Dark-type and a Fighting-Type," Atlas grumbled.

"I offer myself," the Empoleon raised his fin.

"You just want to get the money for yourself as usual," the Bisharp said, rolling his eyes.

"He has a point, y'know. We can't use Flint, the last time he was the one who murdered the client's target, he would be a suspect!" Atlas snarled, hopefully, this job would be easy.

"Well, both of you have a 4x weakness against the fighting one… and as always your cowardice prevents us from getting better jobs, Atlas," Napoleon nodded.

"Okay, so you'll take care of it, Napoleon. Do we know where they live?" Flint crossed his arms.

"The mayor said that they have affiliated with Black Skull, which means they must live in one of the apartments. If I pay the landlord, he should let me pass without problems," the water Pokémon pondered.

"It seems that your greed will finally be useful. You better not screw this up, or I'll cut you up like a steak," Flint said, pointing his blades at him.

* * *

The day passed and the duo continued looking for clues. They decided to interrogate some Pokémon close to the victim, but most did not reveal anything important. The biggest hint was that he disappeared at night and left his house alone. The two of them then went back home.

Lance was in his room, writing in a notebook. His brain was racing, thinking about several chances of what had happened to the Druddigon. Outside the house, rain was falling and the sky was dark.

"Is it already dark? I lost track of time again." stretching, he left his room, going into the living room.

His brother was on the sofa, eating some Oran Berry pie they had ordered. When he noticed the Riolu, he left the sofa, waiting to see what he was going to say.

"I'm still sure the mayor is involved in this, damn. He's resistant to my aura," Lance snarled to himself.

"I can infiltrate his office, I don't think he'll be there all night..." Brian sighed.

While they were distracted by the conversation, the doorknob started to spin. The noise made the boys turn around, staying in combat position. Then, the door opened, but there was nobody there. Brian camouflaged them both with an illusion that made them invisible. They went to the corridor of the building.

 _Not only did he try to deflect, but he must have sent someone to attack us, but who?_ Lance thought, his hand on his chin.

Suddenly, the place lit up, a silver gust of energy being fired. Barely having time to dodge, the illusion was undone, the two brothers looking at their enemy. On the other side was Empoleon hired to deal with them.

"My my, some new kids barely arrive and there's already that much trouble?" he gave them a smirk.

"Who hired you?!" Lance remained serious, standing in a combat position.

Brian shouted, body wrapped in a dark aura as he charged against Napoleon. Despite hitting him, the attack did little damage. His opponent laughed at the move, simply punching Brian with his fin, sending him across the hall, crashing into Lance.

 _I am not dying here!_ Lance got up, ignoring all the pain he felt from that attack, even removing the sweat off his face. Taking a look behind the Empoleon, he saw a window.

"Well, well, I gotta speed up, don't you think?" Napoleon's body glowed pink and he ran, the sheer speed making wind blow through the corridor.

Brian grunted, copying the move, increasing his speed as well, enough to shove himself and Lance out of the way.

"Wow, I'm impressed... you're not so bad kids!" he continued to smirk.

"Shut up!" Lance dashed forward, his arms in the X position and shining. He jumped, trying to hit the penguin.

The enemy took one step back, dodging the blow, and opened his mouth, a white energy inside. Brian ran, still with the speed increase of before, his paws were shining like Lance's.

"Argh!" Brian copied the Cross Chop his brother had used, hitting the Empoleon in full force at the same time that he fired the energy, pushing Brian to the other side of the corridor. He hit the wall and fell to the ground, struggling to move.

While the two exchanged blows, Lance prepared to hit the penguin. He closed his fists, which glowed in a blue tone, aiming at the steel Pokémon.

"I'm strong enough to defeat you, moron!" Lance fired a gust of blue energy at his opponent.

Despite his best effort, a barrier appeared in front of the penguin, protecting him from attack.

"Tsc…" grumbling, the Riolu jumped, trying to hit him with another Cross Chop, only for Napoleon to dodge at the last moment.

Seeing the room's window, Napoleon noticed an opportunity while Lance was distracted. His fins were wrapped in water, giving the impression that he had made blades. Then, with his increased speed, the Pokémon advanced against Lance, cutting him with the swords he had made.

"It's time to take out the trash…"

The impact was so strong that Lance was thrown through the window, falling from the height of two floors, falling into a garbage can. In the building, the Empoleon smiled, thinking that his work was done. Well, if the mayor wanted them dead, he should pay more for the Crew. In silence, he left the place.

"W-Wait, Lance!" Brian ran outside the building.

During his hectic running, he came across Napoleon, but ignored him, that wasn't important right now! Instead, he focused on finding his brother. Once he did, he found Lance on top of a trash bin, moaning in pain.

"H-Hospital…" Lance said, spitting a little blood, his vision blurring.


	8. Dungeon 8 - The fox and the hound

Brian was sitting in a chair in the city hospital, thinking. He had received the news that his brother was stable, but that he would need to rest for a while.

 _I'll need to do something by myself, sleeping in the hospital is awful. I wonder if the door's already fixed… Hm, maybe there's some info around the guild? That kid did post the mission there, after all!_ Brian pondered, leaving the hospital.

He walked around the streets in silence, planning what to do for the day. First, speak to the guildmaster, maybe they weren't the first team to find the mission, and he could get some intel about it. Then, go to the police station, Lance mentioned that he made a promise to put that Pikachu in witness protection, but Brian also needed to talk to the detective he heard about.

 _Got it! This seems like a good plan, nice!_ Brian smirked, he was at the guild's door. Taking a deep breath, he entered, going straight to the guildmaster's office. He stood on two legs, knocking on the door with his paws.

"You can come in!"

* * *

Brian got inside, prepared to make some questions, he wasn't sure if he could get any good info during this visit, but felt the need to try anyway.

"Oh, hello, child. What do I owe you the pleasure of this visit? Swalot patted his large belly, chuckling.

"Good morning!" he said, walking in circles. "Right, so, my brother and I got a mission about this Druddigon, you know, they found his body yesterday. We got a tip on a few suspects, so we talked to the mayor and shortly after, an Empoleon attacked us. Then I thought... you've been here longer than us, do you know this Pokémon?"

Robert rolled his eyes. "A lot of teams took that mission, but I assure you, it's not worth the risk, they gave up in the end. I'll tell you what, would you like to get the reward anyway?"

Brian growled, claws sticking out. "Now listen here, I'm the one that decides if it's worth it or not! My brother was hurt because of this!

Robert rubbed his mustache. "Well, I understand you're angry about that, but there's nothing I can do..."

"Well, FINE! I'll just do it myself then!"

Brian ran out of the room, thoughts scrambled. So that didn't work out very well, except that he now knows there were more teams; now he needed to go to the police, but before that, Brian wanted to test something. Focusing all his might, Brian hid himself again, tail included. He just needed to be careful and quick, hiding the tail took too much energy.

_Okay, I really hope this won't be pointless in the end… He tried to bribe me, I'm sure!_

Brian entered the room again, thankful that the door was still open, so he waited. Having no idea what time it was made him nervous, but eventually, Robert made a call.

"One of the boys came to ask me for answers!" Robert shouted at the phone. "Of course I tried to make him quit! We can't let our deal end!"

 _...Of course he's involved in this, but what does that have to do with those other teams?_ Brian wondered, still listening to that phone call.

"What do you mean I need to make a deal? Urgh, fine! I'll do that once the other kid wakes up," with that said, the Swalot hang up.

That's all Brian needed to know, he left the place again, and when he got far enough away, he undid the illusion, panting.

_T-This took so much energy, but I don't have time to waste!_

While walking, his mind created some theories. The guildmaster was involved in this whole thing, and having the support of the mayor only made things harder to solve. Brian questioned what authorities he could trust, but for the moment, he wanted to try.

* * *

What the Zorua first noticed on the interior was the number of desks the place had. The corridor extended for a while and Brian could see a Raichu handcuffed, being taken away by a Rhyperior.

Brian was now in the middle of the room, where some Pokémon were walking around, being the police, they were busy with their jobs. Yet, one of them, a Tyranitar, noticed Brian and walked towards him.

"How can I help you?" the Rock-Type questioned Brian.

"Hi! Uh, I need to talk to this detective, I think his name is Apollo?"

"Of course, Apollo is one of our finest detectives, a little weird, but a nice mon to be around. Follow me," he turned around, going through a hallway with Brian.

Entering the room, the two of them saw an Arcanine folding through some papers, a large glass containing what appeared to be coffee. The Tyranitar sighed, clearing his throat to catch the Arcanine's attention.

"Hm? What's up?" Apollo twitched his ears.

"Well, you have a visitor," Tyranitar shrugged.

"Oh, yeah, hi!" Brian said, waving with his front paw.

"Hm? " moving his ears, he looked at the boy who had arrived. "What do you want? I'm kind of busy right now."

"It's about the Druddigon," Tyranitar said.

"Oh, my bad then, sorry, kiddo!" Apollo laughed, watching the Tyranitar leave.

"S-Sure, I guess. Anyway, I'm Brian Williams, member of an exploration team with my brother! I need to ask a couple of things," he nodded, approaching Apollo.

"Alright, do tell! I'm all ears!" He said, twitching his large, fluffy ears.

"My brother went to see that Druddigon's manager, and, well, it seems that the victim was panicking a lot before he got killed," Brian gasped. "O-Oh yeah, that Pikachu! She told us everything, we need to put her in witness protection, right?"

Apollo tilted his head, whining. "Huh, she told you? She didn't say anything to me. Well, I'll do that anyway. Anything else?"

"She said that the mayor's secretary, this Gothitelle, wanted to pay them to stop the campaign. We tried to ask the mayor, but what happened was that he ignored and—"

"Sent someone to attack you both." Apollo finished Brian's sentence. "I see... listen, did you go to the guild?"

"I was there before I came here, but it was the same thing that happened with the mayor. He told me to ignore it," Brian tapped his paws on the ground, snarling.

Apollo barked. "Exactly! You're pretty clever, kiddo. See, they tend to operate like this, bribing Pokémon, and if they refuse, well… murder. I talked to some teams about this Druddigon case, not only they refused to comment, I checked their bank accounts."

Brian blinked. "...They took the bribe?! Why?!"

"Beats me. But things seem different now. Are you going to help me with this?"

"What about that Empoleon? He's a mercenary, right?" Brian took a deep breath, trying to calm down while waiting for an answer.

"Ah, yes, I also searched about him... I have some informants inside, and thanks to them, I got some important intel about the mercenaries," after talking about it, the Arcanine took some papers, putting them on the table.

"Wait a minute, "mercenaries" as in, there's more than one?" he said, jumping on the chair to take a better look at the papers.

There were pictures of some Pokémon: an Aggron, a Bisharp, and an Empoleon. Brian then realized that they were dealing with more than one criminal. Thinking, he concluded that the one responsible for the Druddigon's disappearance was somebody else and the Water-type was a diversion.

"Damn it…" he snarled.

"Yes. From what I was told, the Aggron is called Atlas and he is the team leader. The Bisharp's name is Flint and the Empoleon's is Napoleon. The group calls itself Heart of Steel Crew." he spoke, explaining to the boy.

"Ok! So I have an idea of who I'm facing, but can you tell me the reason for not having arrested the mayor with all this information?"

"Kid, things are not so simple... arresting someone so influential in this city is something that needs as much proof as possible. Things like a confession, you know?"

"If that's what you need, then that's what I'm going to deliver…" coming down from the chair, he had a determined look on his face.

"Hey, wait! You're not thinking of breaking into his office to ask?!"

"Of course I am!" turning around, he growled, irritated with that situation, his tail wagging quickly. "I tried my brother's way and he's all hurt now! If I do it my way, it might work!"

The Arcanine then sighed, looking at the Zorua directly, analyzing the boy. He then chuckled, closing his eyes. Brian, without understanding what was happening, slowly walked away.

"Listen, Zorua, your intentions are good, but if you go forward against any situation without any plan, you won't survive... it's a tip from me."

The boy started thinking. Since they left home, he tried to take the reins in the dungeons they went to. First, with Zebstrika, even though the two of them had controlled the situation, they still got hurt. Then with Luxray's gang, where Lance almost died. Internally, he hated having to admit that the detective was right.

"How to face an enemy protected by all who are the authority here then?! I have to protect Lance!"

"You understand how their mind works..." Apollo opened a drawer, taking an envelope from it.

"I never saw that many Steel-types together, it seems a bit odd for me, it's not effective since they all have the same weaknesses," Brian scratched his chin. "They'd have to know each other well for that crew to function properly. Kinda like… a well-oiled machine, you know?"

"Haha, that makes sense, kiddo, I never thought a Zorua would enjoy those things!"

Brian blushed, ears dropping. "U-Uh, well, I do want to take this engineering course I saw the other day. Our team needs a mechanic!"

"Fair enough, now back to our plans. I know where they came from and some things from their past. The question is: kiddo, will you help me?"

Brian shivered, a memory asserting itself on his brain. "I know what it feels like to… to worry about a loved one, thinking that they're… they're dead," Brian said, words escaping him as he did that. "That Tyrunt doesn't deserve this, and neither does everyone else. Of course, I will help!"

Apollo saw that scene, thinking about what Zorua had gone through to be like that. It wouldn't be a good idea to ask if he didn't want to talk, he had to have his reasons. He then opened the envelope with one of his paws.

"Have you ever heard of the city of Oreshard?"

"I... no..." Brian thought for a moment.

"So let me explain to you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I would like to say that the next two chapters will be a two-parter and a flashback, so it's gonna be before the story starts. Anyway, thanks for everyone that's reading this fic. I hope you're enjoying it.


	9. Dungeon 9 - Not all that shines: Part 1

A little Aron played in front of his house, bouncing a ball with his head. Despite being all alone, the Pokémon was having fun.

"Son! Playtime is over," a female voice said, the Aron turning at her direction.

"Victoria, the boy has to play a little, it can't be training all day..." another voice commented.

In front of him were two Pokémon; a Nidoking with a large smile on his face, and a female Aggron, who was just staring at the boy without any emotion at all.

"Father, Mother!" the little Aron said, approaching them.

"Atlas, it's time for your training! Your father is too soft, I don't know how he got this job…" she said, looking at the explorer's crest on her chest.

"Clearly because I am good at it!" The Nidoking laughed, putting his hand on his gray belly.

"But I was going to call Napoleon to come here..." Atlas lowered his head.

Victoria grumbled in response. "That boy is a terrible influence on you, his father is addicted to gambling".

"It's okay..." His voice became weaker, he left the ball outside and entered the house before heading to the back of it, where his training area parents followed him in silence.

The boy reached the place, his parents going in right behind him. It was a wide room—the stone floor barely reflected the light coming from the sun. Atlas then went to the left end, waiting to see what his parents had planned for the training.

"Well, Atlas, today we will do things a little differently..." Victoria said, a slight smile on her face.

"Honey, I..." the Nidoking tried to talk.

"Quiet, Nate," she said, snarling at the Nidoking. "The boy needs to face all sorts of difficulties if he's going to become a decent explorer!"

"Alright... I'll get him at the police station..." with a sigh, Nidoking left the place.

"Get who? At the police station?" the little Aron questioned, shaking his head.

"Today you're going to have a practical class... but unlike the other times, you're not going to face me or your father. We caught a criminal, he's an Infernape and his name is... Wukong..."

* * *

The two Steel-type Pokémon waited for half an hour until Atlas' father came back, bringing with him an Infernape, handcuffed and staring directly at Atlas with an evil grin.

"Is the deal we made still standing?" Wukong said, analyzing the place before looking at Victoria.

"Yes..." she then looked at her son. - this Infernape is a very famous bandit... he killed many Pokémon and we made a deal with him. You two will face each other and... your job is to knock him out, or he will kill you, do you understand?"

Hearing that, Aron widened his blue eyes. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His own mother had made a bargain that could cause his death! Trembling with fear, he began to recoil slowly. His mother, seeing this, frowned, angry with the boy.

"If you give up without even trying, I'll let him go immediately..."

"I... accept the challenge..." the boy said, swallowing dryly as he looked down.

The Nidoking known as Nate sighed, taking the cuffs off the Infernape. After being released, he smiled, his flames burning with more intensity than before. He then ran towards Atlas, his fist shining in a blue tone as he punched the Aron's face with so much strength that the steel armor started to crack, throwing him against the wall.

"That's it! Sorry kid, but Mach Punch is a move with priority..." he spoke, shaking his tail and smiling at the Aron.

Atlas stood up after the impact, but his vision was blurry, he could barely stand up. In his head dripped blood from Infernape's blow. Even with all his injuries, he began to walk back slowly. It was a matter of life or death for the boy.

"Sorry, kid, but I don't want to spend my life behind bars!" the monkey's body was surrounded with flames, he ran to finish the child.

Atlas was paralyzed with fear, he didn't know what to do. Ever since he was little, his parents made him go through intense training so that he could be like them. The boy had always imagined he had to fulfill their expectations, but not this time. Giving himself completely, he closed his eyes. For a few moments, he didn't hear anything. Until a drill noise appeared in the air.

* * *

"Take this!" the voice came from Nidoking, his horn was spinning fast, he hit Infernape, which immediately fell to the ground, fainted.

"What do you think you are doing?" Victoria was screaming, snorting, and approaching her husband. "I said let it happen!"

"Are you an idiot by any chance, woman?! It's one thing to train the Atlas, but it's another to send him to his death since he's 15 years old! Boys his age should have fun with friends, not go through situations like this!"

Aron sighed. On one hand, he was happy to survive that. On the other hand, he was worried about what his parents would do now. Such fights were already beginning to become common in the boy's home.

"I'm sick of it... I'm sick of you!" Still snorting, the female Aggron left the place banging her feet on the ground so hard it was causing small tremors.

The Nidoking then turned to his son, looking at him firmly. Even if these Pokémon didn't have eyebrows, he seemed to be tired of all the fights he had with his wife.

"Is Mommy leaving?" the boy said before falling to the ground, exhausted from the fight.

"I don't know, but I'll stay here with you... we have to take you to the hospital and... and leave Wukong in jail."

"Alright..." nodding, Atlas thought about what was ahead. He had to be strong, for himself and for his father.

* * *

One day later, a Piplup was lying on a bed staring at the ceiling.. One of its eyes was swollen purple, but he kept it locked on the roof, not feeling well enough to do anything else.

"Napoleon! Your friend is here!" a male voice said and it was possible to hear the sound of the footsteps of its owner as he distanced himself.

"Atlas! You can come in!" the boy said in a loud voice, waiting for his friend.

The Aron entered his friend's room in silence, looking directly at him. He had a band in his head from where his armor had cracked the day before.

"Hey, man." the penguin said, sitting on his bed.

Atlas interrupted him "What happened to your eye? Was it your father again?"

"I ask the same about your face..." he said, staring at his friend's bandages.

"My mother made me face a criminal and he almost killed me..." the boy said, his voice carrying a tone of sadness.

"A toast... to dysfunctional families…" Napoleon let out a sarcastic laugh, rolling his eyes.

"I wanted to do something away from them, do you want to walk around?"

"Oreshard is not exactly a big city, but I'll take it. Anything to stay away from my crazy father!" he jumped out of bed.

* * *

After the kids left Piplup's house, they began walking around the city. It was located in a mountainous region, with an old, abandoned mine near the end of the road. Most of the houses were made of metal, particularly steel. White ivory peaks towering over the rushing white streams falling into the abyss as the mountains were as tall as their eyes could see.

"You know, you're the water type, and you still live in a place that has most of the steel, ground, or rock types." Atlas said, giving him a laugh.

"Well, my evolution is part steel." he said, shrugging.

"Ah, I want to show you where we are going today!" he pointed to a house on a hill, but unlike the others, it seemed bigger, like a mansion.

"Wait, are we going to break into the richest family's house here?!" Napoleon questioned his friend, suddenly raising his voice..

"Honestly I just wanted to see what it's like, to stay away from my family even if only for today?" he kept his head down.

"Curiosity killed the Meowth..." sighing, he walked next to Aron.

The walk along the hill was done in silence, Atlas had a lot to think about. His mother hadn't come home yet after the last fight she had with Aron's father and he was starting to worry.

"Hey, Atlas, will we get in?" The Piplup forced a smile, trying to bring up the subject with his friend.

"I wanted to at least take a look at this mansion... man, it must be nice to live in a place like that!"

* * *

When they arrived at the top, they saw that the house had a huge fence in front. A guard Pokémon standing in front of it, a Sandslash. However, it had a blue body with what appeared to be icicles on its back. Seeing that, Napoleon then ran towards them as fast as he could.

"What do you want, kids?" the blue Sandslash spoke, turning around to face them, his spikes emitting an icy noise.

"I've never seen a Sandslash like this before, where are you from?" the Piplup asked, his eyes shining with excitement.

"He's from another continent... my parents told me some Pokémon have variations," Atlas arrived, panting from all that walking.

"You did not answer my question. If you came to talk to this family, which I doubt considering you're children, you'll have to wait. They traveled."

"We just wanted to see the place!" Aron spoke, walking away slowly.

"Then you already did. Get out of here! Before I throw you both out myself!"

"They are my guests," the three of them heard a voice.

Behind the gate was a Pawniard, a teenager like the other two. He stared at the Sandslash, waiting for him to open the gate.

"O-Of course, Mr. Flint! Excuse my intrusion!" When he said that, he opened the door for the boys, who entered the place.

The garden they were in was wide, the house itself was still at the bottom and the place had an artificial lake. Waving to Atlas and Napoleon, Flint kept on walking, calling them. The two friends then followed the Pawniard.

"So, what brings you here? I'm used to having visitors, but never from Pokémon my age."

"Ah, we just wanted to see what it was like here," the Aron said, his face turning red with shame.

"Hm, you were going to get hurt pretty bad, that Sandslash isn't usually what you would call nice... or has he already done that to you, Piplup?" he said pointing to Napoleon's purple eye.

"Thanks for helping us and no, I was already with that from earlier today," he sighed, he didn't want to tell Pawniard the complete truth.

"Well, it was my pleasure. As I said, it's rare to see Pokémon my age. My parents insist that I should deal only with 'nobility'. My name is Flint, and yours?" he asked with a smile.

"I am Atlas."

"Napoleon! I'm glad to meet you!" the penguin extended his fin to Flint.

"My parents are traveling, so I can see you until the day they return. Business trip, so it may take a while," he greeted Piplup with a wave so as to not hurt him with his blades.

The newly formed trio of friends entered the residence, wanting to talk and get to know themselves better. For the rest of the day, they could forget about the family problems they had, relaxing and playing, like the teenagers they were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, hopefully this was a wholesome chapter. It was fun writing these three when they were young, anyway, the next chapter is gonna be a little more gruesome...


	10. Dungeon 10 - Not all that shines: Part 2

The two months that had passed since Flint met the Aron and the Piplup represented a good time in his life. He had finally made friends, and during this period, he had helped them to train their skills. In fact, they were now in one of the training sessions. The Pawniard stood with arms crossed, watching the fight between Atlas and Napoleon, the water-type now had a different appearance, having evolved into Prinplup.

"You may have the type advantage and have evolved, but I won't give in so easily!" The Aron declared, advancing against his friend.

The Prinplup's body shone in a pink tone as he ran towards the other, his speed increasing before he fired a pulse of water from his beak, hitting Atlas and pushing him across the ground.

"The winner is Napoleon!" Flint announced, raising his arm to call the fight.

"Sorry man, but it seems I won this time!" laughing, the water Pokémon put his flipper on his head.

"Well, it was a good fight, thanks for helping me train, Flint!"

"Well, it wasn't for nothing." Flint closed his eyes. "Listen, my parents will be back in a few hours. So we won't be able to see each other that often. How about a party? To celebrate our friendship!"

Napoleon nodded. "Sure! We can have a lot of fun! We've already trained so hard in those months..."

Finally, Atlas answered"Sorry. I want to stay a little with my dad, he's still not taking it very well," the boy put his head down.

"Of course, Atlas..."

The three friends agreed and went their separate ways, anxious. Atlas went straight to bed when he got home, falling asleep as soon as he laid in his bed. His mind was calm. Although the boy's only wish was peace, fate seemed to have other plans for him.

The sound of an explosion woke Atlas, who fell from his bed. Disoriented, he peeked out the window, and the vision he saw made the boy widen his eyes in fear. Outside he could see only smoke, accompanied by the noise of fire, and something that sounded like mechanical steps. Then, the door opened hard. The boy's father was on the other side, panting.

"Atlas, we have to get out," the Nidoking was interrupted by another explosion, this time having hit their house, the two were knocked out immediately.

* * *

Away from the residence, Napoleon was running around, heart racing, trying to dodge the shots as he covered his head with his flippers. The boy didn't know what to do.

"Dad?! Where are you?!" he screamed in despair, trying to find his parent.

The Prinplup then heard a coughing noise and went towards the sound. As he walked, he saw that the other residents were running disorderly, the houses destroyed and on fire. When he got closer, he saw his father under rubble, his black body bleeding, he was trying to free himself, without success. Napoleon then pulled his father from there, pulling him out the ruins.

"Ah! Son! At last you were useful, how nice! We have to get out of here..."

"I don't know where my friends are! I have to find them!" he struggled to hold his father.

"Nobody cares about your friends! Let's get out of here!"

Then, they heard the sound of footsteps, and as both turned their faces towards the direction of the sound, they saw a Genesect standing there with a grin on its eyes, the cannon on its back shined. The smoke was all around it.

 _What kind of Pokémon is that? I don't recognize it from anywhere!_ Napoleon thought, his body was shaking with fear.

"W-Who are you?! I didn't do anything, you can take the boy, but leave me alone!" the Empoleon said as he stuttered away from his son.

"My name is Genesect, and... are you sure this is the choice you want to make? Are you going to let your son die to save your own hide?" the mysterious Pokémon said and the Empoleon nodded.

"Dad?! What are you talking about?" The boy was in shock and trembled, not wanting to believe what his father said.

"You can go then," Genesect crossed his arms, waiting.

Empoleon then ran, laughing happily that his plan had worked. He didn't even look back, too busy running away from there. The Prinplup's father didn't notice fast enough the lightning coming towards him, puncturing his stomach and leaving a smoking hole in the penguin's body.

"Hmph," Genesect calmly declared, the cannon's energy disappearing.

"DAD!" Napoleon screamed as he ran to his rescue, but when he got there, he could see that he was not moving or reacting to his calls. The prinplup tried everything, but his father had already died.

"I'm sorry boy, but don't worry, you'll join him..." his cannon shone again, creating a silver sphere, which was thrown against Napoleon.

In the blink of an eye, a quadruped Pokémon appeared in the middle of them, and in his head there was a sword of blue energy, which he cut the sphere, producing a huge explosion. After the smoke cleared, the Prinplup could finally determine who was the new arrival. A Cobalion. He tapped his hooves on the ground, staring at the bug.

"Boy... run away..." he said without even looking at Napoleon.

"Cobalion, you bastard!" Genesect gnashed his teeth, banging his feet on the ground, producing the same metallic sound as before.

"You are attacking this city without any purpose, it is my job as Sword of Justice to finish you off..."

Scared, the Prinplup ran away, carrying his father's body on his shoulders. Alone, the legendary Pokémon stared at each other for a few seconds and then advanced against each other with violence.

* * *

Flint woke up with a sore head, he felt as if someone had thrown an entire house on him. The boy looked around, seeing only ruins of what had been his house. He immediately cut through the debris with the blades in his arms, looking for his parents.

"Dad?! Mom! Where are you?!" The boy had a hoarse voice, he was desperate to find his family.

And at last he saw them, but not the way he expected. In front of him, the boy saw two Bisharp, they didn't move or scream, they just stood there. Flint widened his eyes, realizing what had happened. Without holding on, he let out a loud cry of pain and suffering, tears streaming down his eyes as the truth hit him.

 _Who did this?_ the boy thought, without knowing what to do now that his parents were dead. He fell on his knees, and screamed until he no longer had voice.

* * *

The two Legends were running around the city, each one trying to hit the other with their attacks. Genesect fired energy from his cannon while Cobalion deviated quickly to avoid it, they then stopped in front of a house, panting.

"You son of a bitch! Stand still so I can toast you!" the insect growled, his cannon glowing with yellow energy as _ prepared to fire again.

 _I'm getting tired and I have to dodge..._ the quadruped thought, then he was pushed aside by another Pokémon, who took the blow in his place.

The being in question was the Nidoking known as Nate, who by his typing, took no damage from Genesect's electrical attack. The equine widened his eyes, realizing what had happened.

"Don't worry, Cobalion! It's the first time I've seen a legend, sorry to intrude, but I had to help," the explorer said, his eyes shining with determination.

"You may have gotten help from someone else, Cobalion, but our fight isn't over yet! Signal Beam!" Genesect was charging another shot, green-colored, shooting at the quadruped Pokémon.

The Nidoking put himself in front of the shot, spreading his hands and generating a rainbow-colored Protect barrier, protecting them from the blow. He removed the sweat from his face, staying in a combat position.

 _If I hit a Horn Drill on that thing, this fight will be over,_ the Ground-type pondered.

Atlas woke up again, this time in the middle of the commotion. He could barely see, but in the little he could, he noticed his father standing together with one Pokémon, facing another. Genesect ejected the object in his cannon, taking a new one out of his backpack and inserting it. He laughed lightly, analyzing his enemies. The Aron then slowly left the remains of his house, shaking his head to clear it as he tried to think of something he could do. Then, the bug Pokémon spotted the boy and let out a small laugh.

"Cobalion, I'm sorry but this fight is over now," he said with a grin, charging the shot one more time, aiming at Atlas.

"Nidoking! Protect the boy! I'll deal with him! Work Up!" Cobalion's body shone orange, his Attack, and Special Attack status increasing.

Noticing this, the boy's father ran to rescue his son, jumping and grabbing him in his arms. The two enemies that were near him started to carry their blows. From Cobalion's mouth, red energy formed, while from Genesect's cannon a blue gust was fired.

"...I'm finishing this!" Cobalion shouted as their attacks collided

Atlas could not see anything else that happened, a huge explosion followed by a flash that both blinded him and knocked him out once again. The wind howled, pieces of houses, and other debris flew around due to the impact of the legendary blows, the city was devastated. Both the boy and his father were ferociously dragged away from the collision. From afar, Flint and Napoleon could see the strong wind that was approaching them, before it threw them both away. The trio's life would not be the same after the event.

* * *

One month later, Atlas ran through the streets of a city, he was followed by a humanoid Pokémon of defined muscles. The Aron from before was different, his body was now bigger, even though still quadruped, and his armor had become more resistant. Now a Lairon, Atlas tried to escape from the Machoke, but his speed left a lot to be desired. But the Fighting-type then received a sudden cut on its chest and fell to the ground.

"Flint, thank you... we couldn't lose his money..."

"I'm starving," the Pawniard came out of the shadows, panting.

"It's a miracle we can eat, I hate it... all of it... being the survivors all the time... I want to have control of my own life!" He took a handful of the Machoke's money.

"Hm, if you want that I have a suggestion, but let's see with Napoleon when we get to our… home."

The duo then left the alley. They wandered the streets in silence, glaring at the metal buildings. The city where they now lived was Bright Dawn, known for sheltering Pokémons from various places. They kept walking, going to a less noble area of the city, different from the upper levels. They were now in slums, where most of the crime was located. The friends entered one of the residences. When they arrived there, they saw the Prinplup laying on the floor with a bottle of beer on his flipper, assaulting it mercilessly.

"You'll be sick if you keep drinking like that," Atlas looked worried, he threw the coins on the ground.

"Screw you! I'm not in a good mood today," he said, ignoring the other's comment, before taking another swig.

"Well, gentlemon, I... have a suggestion for our problem," Flint said, sitting on the floor.

"Really?! What problem? Our poverty? Or was it the fact that everyone who mattered to us was killed in a stupid fight between two legendary Pokémon?!" Napoleon said in a sarcastic tone.

"I don't like things the way they are too, so... the idea I'm about to say is an extension of what we're doing."

"You mean the robberies?" Atlas questioned, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, the robberies... we can take a step further, and... we become mercenaries."

"Mercenaries?" Napoleon said, seeming interested in the idea, now looking at Flint carefully.

"The opposite of what I was born to be..." Atlas stopped to analyze the situation. During his whole life, he had been raised to be an explorer, but because of that. his mother left him and his father died trying to protect him. "Screw it, I'm in."

"I'm excited about this idea. I'm in as well!" Napoleon smirked.

"Then from this day forward, we shall be known as… the Heart of Steel Crew," Flint laughed.

"Means to an end for us, then!" Napoleon cheered.

 _Means to an end, eh? Good, that's all you'll ever be, my "friends",_ Flint thought. Yes, that was a good opportunity for him to improve his own skills. After all that happened, he needed to be strong, so he wouldn't suffer the same fate as his parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was a lot more gruesome than I thought, anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far. Tomorrow there will be more chapters...


	11. Dungeon 11 - Setting the stage

"So that's what happened?" the Zorua said, having just heard the story that detective Apollo had told him.

"Yes, they are the only survivors of that city... it's a shame they suffered this way." The Arcanine frowned, shuffling the papers.

"Even if they have suffered, it doesn't justify what they are doing now," Brian took a deep breath, lowering his ears, despite all that had happened to the crew, the boy was determined to stop them.

"In fact, but my hands... well... my paws are tied," Apollo sighed, ears lowered. "But now that we're working together, maybe we can arrest them."

"I have another question; does anyone know why Genesect attacked that town?"

"He's a Pokémon who likes to test himself, they say it was a way to improve his techniques." Apollo looked elsewhere, pondering about the attack.

"Ok, I got it! Listen, I have to see if my brother has been discharged from the hospital, when can we see each other again?"

"Come here at the end of the day, we'll plan right what we'll do..."

Nodding, the boy then left the office. The story he heard was certainly tragic, and even if he could understand the suffering of the Crew, he had a job to do to prevent more families from being hurt. With a new objective, Brian went to the hospital where his brother was.

* * *

Lance was lying on the hospital bed, his body moved sharply, as if he was having a nightmare, his entire being as covered in heavy sweat, the liquid dripping on the bed that covered him.

 _Number ten... it seems that you have failed... you know what that means, don't you?_ the voice said inside Lance's mind. The boy saw himself in a dark room with an open door, and in the middle of the darkness, the Riolu could see two blood-red eyes staring at him, a wide grin showing up right after.

 _No... please! I'll get it right next time! Let me go!_ gasping for air, the boy screamed in terror, trying to run towards the exit.

The door then closed, and Lance fell to the ground. He got up and began to claw at the wall, tears streaming from his eyes as laughter began to fill the room.

"LANCE! ARE YOU OKAY?!"

* * *

The team leader woke up from his nightmare with an unstable heartbeat and a dizzy head, seeing his brother in front of him. Panting, he sat on the hospital bed.

"This scene is becoming common... it's already the second time in less than a week!" Brian was almost shouting, but the zorua's eyebrows were arched, he looked worried.

"I realized this on my own, genius..." he took a deep breath,before standing up.

"I'm glad you're okay Lance! The doctors said you got lucky…" Brian gulped. "I thought you were a goner…"

"Yeah, somehow I'm the luckiest mon here…" Lance rolled his eyes. "What did I miss while I was out?"

"I found an ally... he's from the police, but I think we should go home first and rest. I arranged the meeting to be at night!"

The brothers left the hospital and made the normal way back to the apartment. This time, Lance didn't say anything at all during their trip. Brian, despite not finding it strange, thought about asking what was in his mind, as the Riolu's nightmares were happening more often, but decided to leave his friend alone at the moment.

"I'll have to increase your rent... the property damage doesn't pay itself." the Weavile said, at first reading a newspaper, but stopping to look at them.

 _I... failed... it was a dream, but I failed... how am I still alive?_ Lance's mind was full of thoughts, he ignored the manager and just went to his apartment.

* * *

As they entered, Brian jumped on top of the couch, stretching himself before laying down on the sofa. He was exhausted from walking all day looking for clues from the team targets. His brother, however, seemed even more stressed than before. Lance's body was shaking and he seemed to be out of breath.

_I can't fail... no... no! NO! Get a grip, Lance! You can't show weakness at all, if you do you will die!_

"Hey, Lance?" noticing this, Zorua left the sofa, getting closer to his sibling.

"Get away from me!" He charged energy on his hand when the memories came back. This time, he couldn't hold on.

Lance fell to the ground, crying desperately,screaming as he punched the ground. Looking at that, Brian rushed to his brother, widening his eyes.

"Hey! What?! Breathe Lance! You're okay, we're both okay!" trying to calm him down, Brian put his hands on Riolu's shoulder.

"No, you don't understand... you don't understand anything! I can't fail! In that place I was, if I failed, I couldn't eat or drink for days! I… failed again."

"I understand that, but breathe! You will not die here! Look, you got hurt and I am to be blamed for it, I was hasty and...

"You! It's true..." Lance gritted his teeth. "It was your fault! It was your idea to pretend to be Dad and I failed because of you!" he then closed his fist, punching the Zorua.

Brian fell to the ground, rubbing his hand on his snout, where he was hit. Spitting, the boy faced his brother, breathing heavily.

"I said I took the blame, but that doesn't mean you can punch me out of nowhere!"

"Shut up... SHUT UP! I have everything planned, from the beginning to the end of our day, and you're just messing everything up!" Lance stood up, barely, and stepped on the ground with all his might, body shaking.

"We are living beings! Nobody is a machine without feelings waiting for you to order them to do something!"

"But I can't... fail..." the boy once again fell to his knees, crying loudly.

"Everybody fails! Even Dad and Uncle Shiron have failed several times! Everything will be fine! Breathe! Please, Lance, I want to help you!" His voice sounded shaky, even though he was trying to sound calm, it was obvious that he couldn't stay that way.

The Riolu inhaled, counting a few seconds, and held his breath, counting up to seven. Then he expired slowly, counting up to eight. The boy repeated the movement several times until he finally calmed down. Lance moved away, lying on the sofa and looking at the ceiling.

"Hey, listen here... I know you don't like to talk about that period of our childhood, but... if you need me I'm here. We're partners and I'm your brother, I care about you."

Brian put his paw on Lance's shoulder, looking at his sibling in the eye. That worked, as Lance nodded to him.

"So... who do we need to meet? " Lance asked the Zorua, still panting.

"A police detective who is investigating the mercenaries... ah, yes, there are three of them. Known as the Heart of Steel Crew, they are native of a town called Oreshard."

"I heard about it, it was destroyed, nobody survived... or that's what I read, apparently three Pokémon did."

"It was... well, we still have time until night, I'll order our lunch."

"Lasagna..." he said, covering his eyes with his hand.

"Then it will be lasagna!" Brian forced a smile, turning on the wired phone their house had.

* * *

After lunch, the two of them were sitting on the couch,planning their next step. Lance kept his eyes closed, focused. In his mind he listed which places he should go, considering the police station first.

"We can go to a store I came to when we got here, I... I think we can buy useful things for the next dungeons we go to." Brian said, remembering the Watchog from before.

Lance opened his eyes, gaze shifted to his brother. "Is that the place where you bought the item for me to evolve? Well, if they have more stuff than the Kecleon..."

"They have! It's full of items!"

"So let's go now." the boy left the couch.

* * *

With their backpacks on, Brian having special attachments, the team left their home, heading towards Watchog's market. The day seemed quiet, despite having been witness to an attack the night before. Many Pokémon could still be seen walking quietly through the streets, while some of them were entering stores. The sky was clear, with few clouds. Despite the sense of uneasiness, the day was calm.

"This place is very different from home... do you miss it?" The Zorua asked while walking, a faint smile on his face.

Lance thought for a moment and stopped walking. Despite some bad memories, he liked his village and the friends he made during the guild training.

"I... I think so, but I believe that getting out of there was a decision I needed to make." hesitating, Riolu began to move his legs again.

The market they wanted to go to was getting closer and closer and at the door, the Watchog seemed to hand out flyers to some Pokémon passing by.

"What is it, sir?" the dark type asked as he approached, analyzing the paper.

"Hm? Ah! It's the Zorua from before! You're an explorer, right? I have to advertise my business, boy!" Laughing, Watchog delivered one of the papers to Brian.

"We are not here to see flyers. We want to see the items in stock." Lance got closer, crossing the arms.

"Do you know him Zorua?" The salesman went to look at Lance from top to bottom, seeing that he had already entered the store.

"My brother, that's how he is... we came to look for some supplies for our next missions." Disappointed, the Zorua lowered his ears.

"Okay, when you're done, let me know, I'll be distributing more papers here..." the Pokémon turned back to the street, extending his arm with the pamphlets.

Nodding, Brian entered the scene. When he arrived, he saw his brother analyzing the counter, seeing the products available. He was standing with his tail wagging slowly, looking at the seeds.

"See? I said it was a good idea to come here!" Brian said as he approached, smiling and wagging his tail, energetic.

"Well, you were right, brother." Lance turned his face to look at Zorua.

"Look, you were a little rude to the salesman, so I would be careful. He might raise the prices just because of that... " the boy then turned to face where Riolu was looking. "What are you looking for?"

"These seeds can be very useful if used correctly... they help a lot in dungeons."

"Hm, that's true..." Brian then saw some something shining on another bench, heading there.

The products in question were a bunch of blue spheres, which seemed to be made of glass and were on top of pillows, also having an adhesive indicating the name on the counter. The Zorua stopped to think about what to do.

My moves are Pursuit, Copycat, Fury Swipes, and Shadow Ball. They are good moves, but with these spheres I could... the inspiration seemed to hit the fox Pokémon like the tail of a Salamence. Smiling, he took some.

"You may enter! The store is open, I'm just divulging," Watchog's voice on the other side could be heard by the boys.

"Thanks a lot..." the Pokémon answered, coming in. His body was tall, and his skin looked like armor.

The new client was looking at the items in another area when he noticed the brothers. Beating his tail on the ground, he narrowed his eyes. The Aggron had recognized his targets from the last mission.

Calm down Atlas, they shouldn't even know who I am... And I can't finish them here, it'll draw attention... thinking about what to do, he decided to pretend he was looking for something to buy.

"Ok Lance, I've decided! And you?" Brian said, storing the items at his open bag at the same time.

"You will fill our backpack with Orbs... but that's ok, they can be very useful, come on..." the boy left, followed by his brother.

Passing by the mercenary, the teenagers went on their way, until they reached the seller, who smiled, seeing that they had bought many things.

"The total will be of... 3000 coins," he spoke excitedly, waiting to be paid.

"You're lucky that money is not a problem for us." Lance said, opening his own backpack, handing the money to the other Pokémon. The Riolu, then, walked to the exit without saying a word, next to his brother.

Once outside, they noticed that it was already getting dark. The appointed time had arrived. Instead of going towards their home, they went in the opposite direction, going to the police station. In the sky, the Sun was beginning to disappear to indicate that night was approaching.

* * *

Detective Apollo was in his office, drinking tea and looking at some papers when he heard someone knocking on his door. Sighing, he wondered if it was that Zorua from earlier. A quick sniff on the air confirmed his suspicions.

"Boys, come in!" he looked at the door and screamed to the Pokémon outside.

The small explorers went into the room. Noticing the new Pokémon, the Arcanine saw the scar on Lance's body. For a moment, the policeman thought of asking but thought it better to bite his tongue and instead talk about the subject that they had agreed upon.

"So, you're the one investigating the mercenaries? My name is Lance." He crossed his arms, sitting on one of the office chairs.

"Yes, I'm Apollo! I see that your brother told you the news." The dog put the envelopes on the table.

"Well, I said there were three criminals, I just didn't say their species… " commenting, Brian sat down too.

"Hm, an Aggron and a Bisharp..." the team leader said, turning the pages of the document.

"Well, what do you suggest we do? We need a direct confession or we won't be able to arrest them..." Apollo took a sip of tea.

"The idea is very simple, we will..." the Riolu then got interrupted.

"Get their confession out personally." Brian finished the sentence his brother started while looking at the big orange dog.

"Didn't I say it would be risky? What are you thinking?" The detective said, bowing his eyebrow. He expected an answer.

"As I said, it is simple. Brian and I will split up. I will question the Swalot."

"I'm a Dark-type, I'd better take the Alakazam..."

"If we can take main support out of this trio, it will be easier…" the dog scratched his chin. "Okay, I understand your idea, but let's get one thing straight. I can't support you guys too much, so the most I can do is help record the conversation..."

"When will we execute this plan?" Lance asked, still looking at the documents.

"Give me two days to prepare and we'll start..." the canid consented with his head. He raised his paw to the duo and Brian greeted the cop with his own.

* * *

With the evening, the city of Bright Dawn seemed to fall asleep a little. However, in one of the local bars was the Aggron known as Atlas. He sat at a table and was eating a pie and next to him were his teammates and childhood friends, Flint and Napoleon.

"Those kids haven't given up on us yet... you worthless Pokémon! You were supposed to kill them when you had the chance!" The reptile shoved another piece of pie on his mouth, looking at the penguin.

"Well, it's the mayor's fault for not offering more money..." the Empoleon shrugged

"This petty attitude of yours will end up killing us and you know it... even so, I don't think they will be a problem, we could just consider an ambush." The Bisharp pondereded, nudging the table with his sword in his arm.

"I can help." the three mercenaries heard a voice from behind them, and turned in the direction of it.

Near them was a multi-colored Pokémon, with two cyan eyes on its torso, and a third one in its head , which shared the same color. Its body floated in the air and had several appendages floating around. The Sigyliph continued to talk, even without any sound coming out of his mouth.

"Tell me something… do you need help on this particular job?" the psychic Pokémon floated while asking them.

"What are you doing here? You don't even drink!" Atlas said, biting another piece of the pie he had been eating.

"Well, you seem to be in an unpleasant situation and I thought I'd give a friendly shoulder…"

"It is a good idea." Flint decided to talk. "If he goes after the kids, they won't know it had anything to do with us and will stay out of our glue, at least for now."

Stopping to consider this, the gang leader sighed and decided to agree. At best, they wouldn't have to deal with the explorers, and at worst, they would have more time to plan how they were going to finish them. The next day was going to be difficult for everyone involved.


	12. Dungeon 12 - Highway to Hell

"A mission? Right when we're in the middle of another? Where did you get this?" Brian asked, sitting on the couch in his apartment. Next to him was Lance, holding a pamphlet.

"That Swalot gave it to me. To be honest, I thought it was suspicious, but... we'd better go, if it's true and we don't go, someone will remain missing..." Sighing, he read the paper. "Missing Pokémon named Harold."

In the document was the black and white image of a Snover. Placing the paper on the sofa, Lance got up, analyzing the situation.

"Man, you have to admit this is kind of weird... where was he last seen?" the fox Pokémon asked, staring at the drawing. He was still unsure what to do.

"In a dungeon outside this city, it's a cave, just like that Luxray's. Specifically, a magma cave." The Riolu tapped his feet on the ground while talking.

"Look, we have to make a quick decision, if it's true at all." Frowning, he jumped down from the couch.

"Come on, if it's a trap we'll be ready," he said putting his backpack on.

* * *

The duo then decided to take their chances and go search for him. After leaving the building, the two explorers went towards the exit of the city, at the south of the condominium where they lived. Walking along the road, Lance took the map, looking at the locations.

"In a few meters there is a divide, according to the map, we have to go east when we get there..." the boy put the paper in his bag, walking faster.

In contrast to the technologically advanced city of Bright Dawn, the road where the duo was located was more rural. Having only a few signs to indicate the nearby dungeons, the road was surrounded by trees and some Pokémon walking in the background. At their right the boys could see berry fields with some farms on them .

After walking for a few minutes, the team arrived at a path that branched in four separate directions.

"Endless Inferno, that's what this dungeon is known as." Lance looked at a sign indicating the directions and then turned his face to the left. He went on the eastern path.

"I should have bought a Rawst Berry..." Brian said, lowering his ears before following his partner.

* * *

**Endless Inferno**

As they entered the cave, they realized that it was illuminated by lava wells. The soil was mainly composed of magmatic rocks and extended even beyond the vision of the two Pokémon. Feeling the sweat dripping down their bodies, the duo decided to advance.

"I'll tell you, if this Snover is here, he was unlucky enough to end up in such a hot cave."

"Yes. With his fourfold weakness against fire-type moves, he made a bad… decision... but we don't have time to talk about that. I can see the hallway in front of us," the Riolu stated as they went ahead.

After they crossed the passage, they found a wide corridor, next to another gallery in the background. The temperature kept rising and they were sweating even more. Stopping to analyze the situation, Lance sighed.

"Something's wrong." Looking around, he growled. The feelers around his head were moving.

"What are you talking about?" Moving his ears, Brian tried to identify the enemy.

Lance concentrated, his eyes and his left paw shining in a blue tone, he moved that arm in a circle around him, trying to locate any Pokémon using his aura. Opening, Lance turned around in the direction they were first facing at. In front of them, there were three Pokémon similar to black haired dogs coming down the corridor. The biggest of them had large horns and their muzzle and belly had an orange coat. He let out a howl, looking at his enemies while showing his teeth.

"One Houndoom and two Houndour," the Zorua said, analyzing their foes before adopting a combat position.

"Brian, if you don't want to get hit, get out of my way!" Snarling, Lance began to charge energy in his paw, while looking at his foes.

Not even waiting to hear the fox's answer, the blue canine ran through the corridor, clashing against the dogs while rage filled the Riolu's body. He jumped and started to spin, releasing an energy wave from his hand all around that area.

 _...Force Palm!_ he declared as he landed on his feet, recoiling back after the move.

The other Pokémon that were in the place barely had any time to dodge. The enemy leader jumped back, narrowly avoiding being hit. One of the Houndour on the other hand, got hit first by Lance's attack and was immediately thrown against the wall, pushed away by the sheer force of the swing,fainting almost instantly. The remaining one advanced against Brian, narrowly dodging Lance's shot before charging at Brian with his fangs on fire.

"Urgh!" Grazed by the hit, Brian felt his fur starting to burn. The Zorua instinctively created an illusion that rendered him invisible,using the brief respite to distance himself from the dog.

One of the Houndour sniffed the air, searching for the smell of burned fur that came from Zorua. Suddenly, he took a full blow that made the pup lose his balance. Undoing the illusion, Brian reappeared behind the Houndour. The boy's claws seemed to grow larger as a white light shone of them, and then the dog was struck repeatedly by the small fox.

"Come on, now!" the Houndour was thrown away, after being hit by the consecutive blows. Brian panted, trying to stay on his feet.

On the other side of the corridor, Lance was now dashing towards the Houndoom, his arms crossing in X shape in front of him. His enemy growled at him in response, an aura of flames wrapping the dark type's body. The Riolu kept advancing without caring, his eyes focused on the black canine as if his sole goal in life was to finish the enemy in front of him. The Houndoom howled, shooting a stream of flames at the boy.

"Have to endure, argh!" A white aura surrounded the Riolu a second before he was hit by the fire, he cried out in pain, but kept holding on without fainting.

"Lance!" Brian ran to rescue his brother, just as the same Houndour from before appeared, his fangs with an electric charge. Thinking fast, the Zorua turned invisible again.

Lance fell to the ground,coughing. His body was in immense pain, he could feel the burns all over his skin, making him tremble with pain. Even so, he got up again, staggering as he stood back on his feet, determined to use all the strength he had left.

Meanwhile, Brian was planning how to knock out the Houndour. Attacks of the dark type would not be very effective, much less the ghost. In this case, he would have to improvise.

"I can just buy more Orbs in that store..." Pondering his options, with his snout, he took one of the blue spheres from his backpack, getting ready to shoot.

The cub was looking for the smell once more, his mouth oozed a purple liquid that was now covering his snout, he advanced towards the general direction he had tracked Brian to. Undoing his illusion, Zorua jumped, throwing the sphere against the Houndour.

 _Blowback Orb! Do your job!_ Brian shouted inside of his head. The sphere broke, releasing a strong gust of wind, throwing the dog against the wall, the canine pokémon slid to the floor, already unconscious before he hit the ground.

Falling to his feet, Brian saw his brother facing the Houndoom again, and soon he ran to help him. Lance, struggling to stand, carried energy in his hand to shoot the big dog again.

"That's enough, man! I'll take care of him, you can barely stand!" Brian Complained, "We're very lucky that our backpacks are fireproof... but you can't keep up like this!", The Zorua took a step forward.

"Shut up." Lance answered, taking an Oran Berry from his bag and eating it before heading towards the Houndoom again. "I have to finish this guy..." His voice became raspy as he talked. The Riolu's vision was getting blurry, but his eyes were still locked on the Houndoom.

"I won't let you die here, I swore I would protect you..." Brian too was looking at their enemy, who was getting ready to throw another blast of fire at them.

"So be it..." Looking at the Houndoom, the Riolu raised his paw, preparing to shoot.

"Two can play this game...!" Brian's body glowed for one second and he opened his mouth, which was also filled with the same energy as Lance's palm.

The Houndoom's flames collided with the dual blow the brothers had thrown, creating an explosion that threw everyone against the walls. The sound of the snap of the Houndoom's bones echoed through the chamber, and the dog fainted right after. On the other side, the boys fell, feeling a great pain in their spines, but remained awake. Panting, Lance began to slowly walk towards the Houndoom.

"Force Palm," he said, giving the dark pokémon another shot.

"Lance, what are you doing?! It already fainted, we have to move on!" Staggering, the Zorua went after his friend.

"Quiet..." he said while charging another shot, sweat running down his fur. "I'm. Finishing. This. NOW!" every time he said something, he shot Houndoom, looking desperate as he did.

Brian bit Lance's arm, pulling it back with all the strength that was left in Zorua's little body. Both brothers fell, unable to move or leave the place. They both started to hear a laughing voice in their minds, as a flying Pokémon came out of the same hole as the trio of dogs. The Sigilyph laughed, even without having a mouth, while looking at the boys with his three eyes.

"It was easier than I thought," he said with telepathy.

"Shit... it was a trap!" Gnashing his teeth, Lance clenched his fists.

"We fell like fools!" Raising his eyes, Brian just noticed what had happened. "Who sent you here?!"

"I owed those metal heads a favor..." the bird's eyes changed color, turning pink as he looked at Zorua.

"Well, it doesn't matter! I'm immune to his psychic attacks! You'll regret having deceived us!" he gave a toothy grin, ready to take the attack.

"You seem very confident in your ability, Zorua... I'm sorry..." the Pokémon's three eyes were glowing and he fired a beam in the shape of a triangle.

"That move from before... Brian! Dodge!" Screaming, Lance tried to run, but his body didn't have the strength for it anymore and he just fell face down.

"Hehe, relax bro! I'm gonna kick his ass..." The boy was hit by the attack, his eyes opened wide with surprise before he hit the ground, sleeping.

"You son of a bitch... Did you use Miracle Eye on him?!" Getting up, Lance was staggering.

"An insightful observation Riolu, but not insightful enough to save your brother. But don't worry, you'll join him soon enough." Laughing, he threw the same blow at the boy.

Unable to deflect, Lance fell to the ground, trying to resist as much as he could, even if his arms and legs didn't respond to the command. With his eyes almost closed, he saw only the psychic Pokémon in front of him, then he too fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, I finally posted this chapter! Hopefully it's good! Anyway, the next chapter is gonna be really, really heavy. It's also a two-parter, so be ready for the next part of this fanfiction!


	13. Dungeon 13 - Unnatural Selection: Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LISTEN UP, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES OF CHILD ABUSE AND VIOLENCE. DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

_8 years ago_

* * *

The sound of bird peeps signaled that it was morning. A Starly flew through the clear sky over the small village of Thornwell. The villagers started their daily chores as the sun rose, chatting among themselves and opening their stores. It seemed like it would be a good day.  
  
Inside one of the houses, there was a small Pokémon lying on a bunk bed. He opened his eyes, rubbing them with his hands and yawned. He then leapt down from the top bed, still sleepy, and stretched his arms. On the bottom bed, another Pokémon was sleeping peacefully. The child, having woken up, approached and shook him.  
  
"Brian! Wake up! This is the day!" he said in an excited tone, wagging his tail while giving him a broad smile.  
  
"Five more minutes Lance…" His brother turned his back, wrapping himself in the blanket.  
  
"We don't have five minutes!" He replied, pulling the Zorua's sheet.  
  
Brian yelped and fell to the ground, but quickly got back on his feet, before yawning. Lance, seeing that his plan had worked, looked at him with a sincere smile on his face.  
  
"The next time I'm excited for something I'll push you…" the Zorua scratched his own ears using his front legs.  
  
"Ah! But come on! We'll start the training! I can't wait!" Lance gave his brother a grin.  
  
"Maybe we'll make a world trip! Who knows?" Brian agreed, his face showing a light smile like that of his brother.  
  
The boys left theirhis room, going down the stairs of the house. They could smell food in the air and went straight to the kitchen. Sitting on the chair was the boys' father. He was a black and blue furred canid, much like Lance. But, he was two heads taller, and unlike the Riolu, his arms had two white thorns instead of the metal plates in his son's, alongside a third spike in his chest, surrounded by a fluffy, yellow coating in his upper body. He put several pancakes on the plates.  
  
"Good morning, Dad!" Lance said as he sat, looking at the Lucario.  
  
"Good morning…" Brian then jumped on the chair, sitting on his hind legs, scratching his eyes.  
  
"Good morning boys... it's today, right? The day that the guild training will begin…" Their father smiled slightly, the corners of his mouth pulling up in the side of his snout.  
  
"Yes! Dad! You're coming with us, righ?!" Lance asked, starting to eat.  
  
The adult sighed, lowering his head as he heard his son's question. He then quietly sat between the two, thinking about what he was going to say this time.  
  


* * *

A few minutes passed without anyone saying a word, and the siblings' father whined, feeling like he just dug his own grave.  
  
"Hey... aren't you going?" The Zorua finally said, staring at his parent.  
  
"Unfortunately, your uncles and I were called on a mission... I don't know how long it will take for us to return, but we must leave today."  
  
"You promised us..." The Zorua took one look at his brother and turned his face to his father.  
  
"When will you get back?" Lance lowered his head, his smile and excitement from before were now replaced by sadness. "I really wanted your company…"  
  
"I…" The Lucario tried to speak, but was interrupted by a noise.  
  
Someone had knocked on the door of the house, and the auric Pokémon got up to open it, passing through another door on the way. Standing at the other side of the door was a Swampert, smiling as wide as his amphibian body could muster, and he then entered, wrapping an arm around the Lucario's shoulder.  
  
"Good morning Nick! How are the kids?" the Swampert said, giving his friend a thumbs-up.  
  
"Shiron... good morning, they just woke up and… I told them about the mission, they know." Nick sighed.  
  
"Dude, you could have waited at least a little…" Shiron said, a little uneasiness visible in his eyes. "Well, I'll try to talk to them…"  
  


* * *

The duo went back to the kitchen, seeing the two brothers finishing their meals in silence. When Lance noticed his uncle, the boy gave him a weak smile, waving to the Swampert.  
  
"Hi Uncle Shiron!"  
  
"And there you are, children! How are my favorite nephews?!" Shiron laughed, leaning away from Nick.  
  
"Guess we'll have to wait for Dad to come back from the mission to celebrate." Brian still sounded sad as he said that, thoughtful.  
  
"Kids, don't worry, a friend will take care of everything." Nick said, scratching his chin. "He's a Heracross."  
  
"Dad? Are you leaving now?" Brian asked, sighing, with his ears still lowered.  
  
"If we stay here any longer, Yuu will end up falling asleep in the middle of the road…" Shiron answered, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Well, then... have a good trip…" Lance got off the chair, still looking sad, but forcing a smile to his father.  
  
Nick hugged his kids and then took a deep breath, before looking at the Swampert. They were a very famous team, so they constantly had to go out on jobs around the continent, and sometimes even abroad. He just hoped that the relationship with his children would not worsen in spite of all this. The children kept watching the two adults as they left the house. For a few moments, neither brother wanted to say anything.  
  
"I hate this..." Brian broke the silence, looking down. "Dad acting like it's no big deal every time he has to leave…"  
  
"I'm sure he doesn't like it either…" Lance said.  
  
"Says the guy who can see aura…" Brian rolled his eyes as he walked to the door. "Let's go!"  
  
The siblings left their house. Far in the distance could be seen the guild headquarters where they would register as recruits. The building was medium size and appeared to be made out of concrete. Some Pokémon were outside doing renovations. The two boys entered the building without hesitation.  
  
In the center, a Pokémon was talking to others, it was a bug type with a body similar to a beetle. They realized that it must have been the Heracross that their father had mentioned, getting closer to him.  
  
"Good morning…" the small Riolu said, looking at the adult with a faint smile.  
  
"Hello, mister!" Brian waved to him with his right paw, tail wagging.  
  
"Well, hello! You must be the new recruits…" the Heracross then checked a paper on his hand. "You're both… eight years old? Don't you think you're too young to enter the guild?" Alder said, a smile on his face.  
  
For one moment, Lance saw the bug staring at him and shivered.  
  
"Well, I think if we start early we'll finish early!" Lance said, wagging his tail, his brother agreed with a nod.  
  
"Well, let's register you, come on." He laughed a little, going into a room inside the building's main section.  
  


* * *

Brian noticed that Alder's office was big, and his eyes sparkled when he saw a radio. Beyond that, he noticed a few windows, and of course, a desk with chairs. He sat down, and the brothers did the same. The Heracross took a pen and a notebook, looking at them.  
  
"So... let's go from the beginning, what is the name of the team?"  
  
"I honestly haven't thought about it yet…" Lance tapped his fingers on his chin, thinking.  
  
At that moment, Brian raised his head pridefully. Now that they were registering, he could finally tell an idea he had! He let out a little laugh, showing his teeth on purpose and looking at his sibling. Lance nodded, a bit worried, because by that point, Brian's tail was wagging so hard it could break.  
  
"I think we should call ourselves… Liberators! Lots of Pokémon need help, and… I thought this name would be cool!" the Zorua suggested to his brother, whole body trembling in excitement.  
  
"Interesting, I liked the idea" Alder laughed, his eyes fixed on Riolu.  
  
"Wow, that's so cool Brian! I love it!" the Fighting type said, wagging his tail. "By the way, Mr. Alder, I'll be the leader!"  
  
"Got it. We'll start your training next week, one thing, you'll have to wake up early." He wrote on the paper, seeing that both of them had agreed.  
  
Alder smiled again.  
  
"Alright, the Zorua is dismissed, but you... Lance, right? Since you're the leader, I need to discuss some things with you."  
  
"Hm... ok!" He thought that was a little weird, but trusting his father's judgment, Lance decided to trust the insect.  
  
"See you guys soon. I need a nap." Brian got up, leaving the place.  
  
Looking out the window, Alder saw the Zorua walking rather slowly, yawning a few times on the way, until the moment he opened the door to his house, leaving the bug's field of vision. A smile appeared on his face as he turned on the radio in the room.  
  
"The operation was a success... we can take the boy. Send the message for the other members of the guild to leave." He said on the device.  
  
"Mr. Alder? What are you talking about?" Lance asked, lowering his ears and starting to tremble a little.  
  
"Well, kid... sorry, but your dreams of being an explorer will have to end here…"  
  
Upon hearing this, Lance jumped out of his chair, desperately running to the door without thinking about anything, when he hit what looked like a red wall, falling to the ground. Looking up, he saw a red Pokémon, one he had never seeing before, but he still recognized the species: a Blaziken, that looked at him with a blank expression. The child moved away, crawling on the ground, when he was grabbed by Heracross and before he could say anything, the bug covered Lance's mouth.  
  
"Let's take him away from here... I swear, this job was horrible. Working as a spy in a famous guild! If the guildmaster found out about this, we'd be dead!" He grumbled, going out with the Blaziken.  
  
As they left, they saw that the place was already empty as planned. The two then proceeded to a back door, away from the view of the villagers.  
  
Finally realizing what was happening, Lance started crying, trying to get rid of his kidnappers at all costs. Heracross, angered by his tries, just grabbed him harder. They then followed a forest road, south of the village.  
  
"Stay still boy, it's nothing personal... but our boss needs a Riolu and you are an easy target…" Alder kept holding Lance as the boy struggled, trying to get free.  
  
"Do you really believe that crazy mon managed to unlock an evolution that nobody has ever heard of?" The Blaziken commented while they were walking.  
  
"I don't know, who cares? As long as we get paid, that's what matters…" he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Hmph... Hm!" Lance tried to talk to them, but with his mouth covered, he couldn't say anything but grunts.  
  
"Kid, I swear to Arceus, you're annoying…" Alder said, punching Lance in the back of his head, knocking him out. The kidnappers kept walking for another hour.  
  


* * *

Meanwhile, Brian was laying in his bed, sleeping again. He woke up yawning loudly, before getting on his feet, stretching his body to get rid of the numbness on his muscles.  
  
"That nap felt amazing… Now, where is my brother?" He then went down the stairs, looking for Lance. "I guess he's still in the guild… hehe! Must be working hard!" Brian ran off, heading towards the establishment.  
  
The boy looked at the building from far away, seeing that there wasn't much movement, which was strange, there was only one Pokémon standing at the entrance. Usually there were several coming and going. Having a bad feeling, he ran as fast as he could, approaching and seeing a Quilladin with his arms crossed while looking at the interior, waiting.  
  
"Uh, mister, hi?" The Zorua got closer, greeting the other Pokémon.  
  
"What do you want?" The Quilladin turned around, facing the boy.  
  
"Did everybody leave? My brother was there…" He spoke feeling a shiver run down his body, as if something bad had happened.  
  
"That stupid manager gave the alarm for us to leave!" The grass type impatiently tapped his foot on the ground, "But there was no emergency! We came back and there was no one there!"  
  
"No-nobody?! What are you talking about?!" He ran inside the building, seeing that it was in fact empty. He then went back outside, his face down and ears drooping.  
  
"Kid, what happened?! You look like you saw a ghost!" he said approaching Brian.  
  
"I told you! My brother was there! The manager said he had to discuss something with him in private and I left!"  
  
The silence that followed only served to confirm the Zorua's suspicions. His brother was missing. He fell to his knees, desperate, not knowing what to do. In his mind, several questions were being asked. Where was Lance? What was the reason they took him? Was he ok? How could he tell his father?! The questions filled the boy's head who then started crying and screaming.  
  


* * *

The Riolu woke up lying down on the floor, his body was exhausted from the trip and he opened his eyes slowly. Lance tried standing up, but quickly was shoved back down by a terrible headache. He decided to just look at the place he was in.  
  
It seemed that the walls were made of metal with a locked door. Forcing himself to get up, Lance saw there was no way out and, on the corner of a wall, he could see a speaker. Feeling something on his neck, he looked down, seeing a collar in place. Scared, he started screaming, punching the walls.  
  
"Get me out of here! Dad! Uncle Shiron! Uncle Yuu! Help! Help me, please!" He desperately clawed at the door, trying to leave the enclosed space.  
  
Suddenly, the collar on the boy's neck activated and he felt a shock running all over his body, causing him to fall to the ground. Then, the speaker turned on, a voice coming out of it.  
  
"I'm sorry kid... you will stay with us as long as necessary."  
  
Lance didn't recognize who was talking and stayed on the floor without moving, feeling his whole body burning from the discharge. The door opened and the same Blaziken as before appeared, picking up the Riolu in his lap and taking him to another area of the place. With his blurred vision, the boy could barely discern where he was, seeing only gray walls. How long had it been since he was kidnapped? He couldn't answer, being carried by the red Pokémon. All he could do was wait and trust that his family would find him.  
  
Eventually, they arrived in what seemed to be an operation room, with a hospital bed in the middle, where the Blaziken put Lance. On the other side of the room there was a tall Pokémon, it wasn't possible to see much of him, but he had white skin with some traces of green on his head and arms.  
  
He was touching some utensils, only to feel their texture, almost as if he was used to it, when he noticed the boy, and smiled at him.  
  
"Ah, the new test subject arrived!" He said and Lance noticed that was the voice that had spoken on the radio before. "My name is…"  
  
The child couldn't hear his name right, lying on the stretcher. The scientist then pulled a syringe, before injecting it into Lance's arm.  
  
"Don't worry... boy... you won't die... well, I don't intend to let you die, but if it happens…" the Gallade said. "There are many Riolu in the world! I'm just sedating you at the moment."  
  
Lance wanted to scream, to run away, to call his father. He was scared, even if he couldn't move because of the sedative. Still, he remained awake, but unable to do anything. The boy wanted to stay conscious as much as he could to try to identify who had done this to him. The scientist just smiled, taking a bisturi and starting to cut Riolu's stomach slowly. Despite his efforts, he lost consciousness.  
  


* * *

Waking up, the boy opened his eyes, noticing that he was in the same room as before, only this time there was a thatch bed.  
  
 _I don't know how long I've been in this place... Dad... help me…_ he thought.  
  
The routine was the same. He woke up, went to the room, was sedated and dissected by the doctor. Whenever he tried to escape, he was electrocuted by the collar. The more often this happened, the more the boy began to lose hope. Where was his father? Nick should have found this place by now.  
  
At the current moment, he was being carried through the corridors again, but this time, he went to another room, wider, but with nothing but a knife on the floor and a fainted Pokémon, a Houndoom. The smell of blood hovered in the air, stirring up a feeling of nausea in the Riolu, who was then thrown to the ground by the Blaziken.  
  
"Where... I am now?"  
  
"Welcome to your new test, number ten." The doctor's voice spoke through the speaker, he never referred to Lance by name, only by numbers.  
  
"Test? Please let me go!" the boy screamed, tears flowing from his eyes.  
  
Although Lance couldn't see him, the Gallade smiled.  
  
"I'll tell you something interesting about where I come from… we have a medicine, a pill that is able to make the Pokémon stronger. It's called 'Rare Candy'. Unfortunately, it has become a taboo and illegal."  
  
 _Rare Candy? I've never heard of it... what is he saying?_ the boy thought, looking at the other Pokémon inside that place.  
  
"Of course, being the genius that I am, I was able to recreate, despite these primitive lands." He gave a small laugh.  
  
Lance tried to move, but looked at his collar. If he tried escaping again, he would only get hurt…  
  
The scientist continued. "Of course, I haven't perfected yet. You see, this Houndoom... was another subject, unfortunately he's become unstable. Your mission will be... to survive. Kill this enemy and you may have a break from my experiments."  
  
"Kill him?!" Lance couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
As if it were the cue, Houndoom stood up, snorting smoke, before looking at Lance, showing his sharp teeth. He set off on the boy, shooting a gust of flames.  
  
Lance barely had time to react, picking up the knife on the ground and rolling to the side, dodging the blow. Even so, the dog continued dashing, sharpening his claws. He jumped, slashing through the child's chest in a single hit. What followed was the sound of blood pouring from Lance, and an ear-piercing scream as he was thrown against the wall.  
  
Barely being able to move, Lance used all the strength he had to stay on his feet, until he finally fell, his chest bleeding from the cut.  
  
"Hm, disappointing... finish him off, Houndoom," the Gallade said.  
  
Following the order, the black dog advanced, his mouth open and his teeth flaming. Lance screamed, holding the knife and shoving it into the enemy's eye after he approached.  
  
Being hit, the dog whined, disoriented. The child wasted no time, stabbing him in the other eye. This time, it was Houndoom who fell. Lance, still angry, continued hitting his enemy in the rest of his body, no matter what happened. He realized that only this would make him survive.  
  
After stabbing his enemy several times over, Lance fell to the ground, fainting from his wounds, the last thing he heard was the laughter of Pokémon who had made him go through it.  
  


* * *

Waking up again, the blue Pokémon found himself on a bed of the medical wing, tied up. Moving his head to the side, he managed to identify the doctor who had tortured him all this time.  
  
 _A Gallade...?_ he thought.  
  
"I see you're awake, child." The scientist turned around, revealing a syringe filled with a blue liquid in his hand.  
  
"What's that?!" Lance began to struggle, trying to escape.  
  
"You think very bad things of me, I already told you what it is when I introduced my canine friend to you…" He was smiling in such a way that only made Lance panic more.  
  
"Get away! I don't want that in me! Why are you doing this?!"  
  
Hearing the boy's question, the Gallade stopped for a moment, reflecting on what he should answer. Shrugging, he continued on his way.  
  
"Let's say... scientific curiosity, kid. I perfected the serum... probably. I can't be sure until I see the effects on someone, and I won't test it on myself." Smiling, he injected the contents of the syringe into Lance's arm.  
  
Immediately the boy started screaming. Tears coming out of his eyes, he felt as if his bones were burning every second, his body moving uncontrollably, trying to get away, shaking his head while crying.  
  
The Gallade just watched, his smile still on his face. Lance was already running out of voice, he just wanted to get out of there and go to the comfort of his home, where everything would be fine.  
  
But even if that was what Lance wanted, nothing seemed to change. There was no sign that he was going to escape so early from the torture he was going through. Then, finally, he seemed to give up. His movements were weakening, the pain diminishing little by little, while he looked at the aggressor, panting, his body was exhausted from all that.  
  
"It seems that the infusion experiment was a success... congratulations, number ten, you won a few days of rest, there won't be any tests for a week…"  
  
The child was half-eyed, his vision blurred, and his mind tired. Would it be his fate to stay there until he died? The last time he saw his family, he had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and become an explorer. Help other Pokémon as much as he could.  
  
But now everything seemed to have been taken at once. He would never see his father or brother again. He would never see the sunlight again. Lance started crying again, the tears coming down like a waterfall on his body, until the fatigue caught up to him, knocking him out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, this chapter was heavy on both of the brothers. Actually this is my favorite chapter so far, I really enjoyed writing it(despite being, y'know, filled with torture). Anyway, the next part is already on its way, so I'll see you next time!


	14. Dungeon 14 - Unnatural Selection: Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like the previous chapter, this one contains scenes of child abuse and violence. Viewer's discretion is advised.

Nick was already used to his children sending letters while he was on one of the missions with his team. But what he didn't expect was to receive the news that Lance had disappeared. Sweating, he was walking on the road to the city where he lived, next to his Swampert friend. Behind the two came a Sceptile.

"Nick... are you ok? we'll find him…" Walking on four legs, the water type asked his friend.

"Dude, Shiron's right, we'll find him!" The Sceptile said, approaching the Lucario.

"Says Yukino, the laziest Pokémon on our team." Nick stopped to take a deep breath. "I'm sorry, it's making me stressed."

"Really? I couldn't tell that." Rolling his eyes, the Sceptile kept walking.

As the trio approached the village, they could see a small Zorua on the exit.. When he noticed the team, Brian ran near them with tears in his eyes. Staring at his son, Nick ran, getting down on his knees and hugging him tight.

"Dad! It's my fault, I left him alone! And now Lance is gone! I'm sorry!"

"It's gonna be okay... we're gonna find him, alright?" He caressed the little one, rubbing his hands through the boy's hair.

"But it's been a week! What if he's... dead?!" Brian was sniffing and his body trembled at the thought.

"He's not dead... you can leave it to us, we can do it!" The grass type got near them, smiling and showing his teeth to try and calm Brian down.

"Son, I need you to trust us on this, right? We'll find your brother…" Getting up, Lucario breathed a sigh.

"Ok…" The boy lowered his ears and tail, lost in thoughts of what could be happening to his sibling.

"We can go to your house and you tell us what happened right, what do you think?" This time, Shiron came closer, forcing a smile.

"A-Alright…" The Zorua just nodded.

* * *

The four of them followed, entering the city, being greeted with some looks of concern from the Pokémon who lived there. Feeling a sorrow in his chest, Nick continued walking, trying to hide how distressed he was. His companions, realizing this, were thinking about what they could do for him. Behind the group, Zorua pondered on his mind.

_It's my fault, I should have protected him... what kind of brother am I?!_

After they arrived at Nick's house, the group sat on the kitchen chairs. With his hands on his face, the Lucario took a deep breath, paying attention to what his son had to say. The other two members of the team turned their eyes to Brian, waiting.

"On the day we went to start the training, the Heracross who was taking care of the guild signed us up and he said he had to talk some things with Lance…" He sniffed, trying to calm himself down. "...and that was the last time I saw him!" Looking at the floor, the child was almost crying, but he was still trying to hold back his tears.

"Shit! I trusted him!" The voice came from the steel Pokémon, who hit the table with force.

"Look, we should start looking through the forest near here... Yukino and I will go there, you can interrogate the guild members." The Swampert got up and sighed.

"We're gonna find your son, Nick…" This time it was the Sceptile who stood up.

"Please…" He trembled in fear.

* * *

Lance woke up in the same room as before, with no one around and nothing but the bed and to the previous attack from the Houndoom, he now had a claw-like scar on his torso, which covered most of the Riolu's chest.

"Please get me out of here…" He sniffed with a hoarse voice.

"I hope you enjoyed your rest, number ten." The Gallade said on the speaker, giving a small laugh.

"I want my father…" Lance fell on his knees, covering his ears and screaming, fed up with all of that.

The device in Lance's neck activated, giving him a shock that ran through the child's whole body, making his screams grow stronger, mixing with the crying, until the sensation passed and he fell to the floor, groaning in pain.

I won't be able to see my family? Arceus, I want to leave… He was lost on his own thoughts. They hurt me every time I resist, maybe I should stop… no one will save me.

"You're misbehaving, number ten. I guess you'll have to stay here a little longer…"

* * *

Two weeks later, the Gallade was on his office, watching the boy's development reports, tapping the table with his fingers and gnashing his teeth. Behind him, the Blaziken coughed to draw the psychic type's attention.

"He's not evolving."

"Doctor Morgan," The fire type leaned against the wall. "you didn't even give the necessary item for that, what's the surprise?"

"Item? In this world, Riolus evolves with items?!" He snarled, staring at the Blaziken. "And nobody warned me?!"

"I thought it was common where you come from. How do they evolve there?"

"A strong bond, or rather, happiness. I've force fed one with Rare Candies and eventually it worked." Morgan took a deep breath and went back to analyse the report.

"Well, you need a Sun Ribbon for him to become a Lucario here, I can get one if you want…"

"No. I'm determined to do it without an item," The Gallade kept staring at the paper. "But get me one more prisoner, a Pokémon in the second evolutionary stage."

"Okay, boss." Turning around, the Blaziken left the room.

* * *

The efforts to find Lance were not over. The trio of explorers had left the village to search the nearby places. They searched in the forest, in caves and in neighboring towns. However, nobody seemed to know the whereabouts of the Riolu or the two kidnappers. Even if the boy's family wanted to believe he was still alive, with three weeks of disappearance, hopes had greatly diminished. Upon returning home, Nick went straight to his room, lying on his bed. Suddenly, someone had knocked on the door.

"Come in." His fur was pale and messy, a clear sign that he hadn't been careful for a long time.

"Dad…" The Zorua came in, jumping on the bed with his ears lowered.

The Lucario sat down, looking at his son, with no idea what to say. Nick wasn't able to keep his promise and that hurt him a lot.

"We... won't see him anymore? Sorry, I should have stayed with him!" Brian started hitting himself in the face, frustrated for not having stopped it from happening. Until he was wrapped in a hug from his father.

"Hey, hey! It wasn't your fault! We'll find him, calm down…" both stayed like this for a few minutes, neither wanted to say anything about the situation.

After an hour, Nick had slept, lying in bed. His son was watching it in silence. Zorua created an illusion that he was invisible and left the house, determined to find his brother. Brian kept walking on the village, studying every detail that could help him.

"This is gonna be hard," Looking at the sky, Brian lowered his ears, still blaming himself for what happened. "Dad's team is an expert in this and they failed... but I have to try! Maybe if I can convince Uncle Shiron..."

The boy had an idea. Deciding to go to the local bar, he ran out. He knew that the Swampert used to go there to eat and chat with the other citizens. Even without knowing if his uncle would be there because of the search, Brian decided to take a chance and enter the place.

* * *

Inside, Brian saw that his uncle was in fact there, sitting at a table with two other Pokémons. To Shiron's left was a Sableye, a biped and purple-bodied Pokémon, with eyes that looked like gems. To the right was a Slowking, which took a juice made of fruit. Getting closer without them noticing, the boy paid attention in the conversation.

"You found no sign of the boy?" the Slowking asked, taking a sip.

"Not really, we put up posters here and in three other cities, we even went to Bright Dawn and found nothing there. Nick is going crazy with this…" Sighing, the Swampert drank what seemed to be an alcoholic drink.

"I can try to ask my team for help. A tragedy like this needs to be solved." The Sableye nodded.

"I guess that would be helpful, thanks." Shiron said, taking a deep breath.

"You have to consider the option that... he didn't survive, you know?" The Slowking stared at Shiron.

Upon hearing what he had said, Shiron punched the table. Brian screamed, shattering his illusion. The three adults stared at the little one, who ran out of the place as fast as he could. Eyes widening, Shiron opened his backpack, put some coins on the table and left to follow his nephew.

"Leave me alone Uncle! I want to be alone!" The boy ended up stumbling, rolling on the floor. After stopping, he coughed, shaking his body to take the dust off.

"I'm sorry... Are you okay?" The Swampert rubbed his own head, staring at Brian.

"Of course I'm not okay! My brother is missing for three weeks. Nobody can find him! And they say he's dead!" Without even breathing properly.

"I know, we're not doing a very good job on this…" He sat on the floor.

"And the worst thing is that it's all my fault! Dad said no, but I know he's just saying that so I don't have to worry about it!" Brian snarled, kicking the ground while walking in circles.

"You look like me when I was your age," Shiron gave a small laugh. "I mean, I think I was 15 instead of 8? Honestly, not remembering my past can be hard sometimes."

"How can you laugh in a situation like that, Uncle?! I... don't know what to do…" Feeling his legs shake, Brian fell to the ground.

"Brian, you're 8 years old, there's nothing you can do about your brother," The Swampert turned his gaze to the starry sky. "But there's one thing you can do."

"What?" Getting up, Brian stared at his uncle.

"If you think you're not strong enough, train. By having the experience, you'll prevent it from happening again. And you will be able to keep Lance safe."

"Train... I couldn't protect him this time, but... from today I will!" The Zorua puffedhis chest to show that he was serious.

"Ok, let's go to your house... your dad will think you're gone too." Shiron yawned and got up.

In the same city, a Pokémon looked at the guild missions, thinking about which one to accept. He had flames around its neck and a tall body, cream-colored belly and black back.

"A kidnapped boy... James, it would be very good if you found him. Well, I have to stop talking to myself…" Typhlosion was commenting to himself, seeing Riolu's picture.

* * *

"Congratulations, number ten. You've been here for four weeks. Now, rise and shine." The Gallade was once again talking on the radio, waking the boy up.

 _Again... what does he want me to do this time?_ Lance got up, exhausted from everything he had been through for the four weeks he was in prison.

"Today's your final test." the voice had a rigid tone to it. "You will have to face another Pokémon… I presume you are aware of the consequences if you fail, correct?"

"I'm gonna die…" growling, he took a deep breath. During the time he stayed in this unknown place, Lance had already faced several opponents and, unfortunately, he had to kill them, or the Riolu would be the one who would become someone else's food. No matter what happened, survival was his goal.

The door of the room opened and the Heracross from before entered, crossing his arms. Lance offered no resistance at all, he went with the kidnapper without saying anything on the whole path. After a few minutes, they arrived at the arena, Riolu was already getting used to that place. Sighing, he went inside.

"Look at him! Our little subject seems to be very excited today, you're not gonna complain or anything? - Laughing lightly, the Heracross watched the boy from afar.

"It's not as if it had worked the other times." Looking at the other side of the ring, he saw his opponent. The Pokémon's red eyes stared Lance in silence.

"Very well, number ten. This is your last chance to redeem yourself. This Servine is called Maya and she will be your opponent today." the scientist said on the radio.

"I'm sorry kid, but I need to get back to my family…" the female said seriously, putting herself in a combat position.

"Wait, if I win, can I go back home?!" Gasping, Lance stared at the speaker.

"Who knows? If you lose, you die, but if you win, maybe something good will happen." Morgan gave a laugh.

"Then I won't lose…" He closed his fists, breathing deeply.

"You can begin." The Gallade said.

After the doctor's speech, Lance ran with all the speed he had, getting ready to hit the Servine. However, the female's speed was greater and she made a jump, deflecting, soon, turning around and shooting a gust of leaves at the boy, who was cut at several points on the body, sending the Riolu to the floor.

When Lance looked up he saw that the girl was falling, her tail had a metallic glow. Thinking fast, he crossed his arms, hitting her tail hard and letting both be dragged in opposite directions.

"Leaf Tornado. Iron Tail... this is no joke, but she has family too, I... can I really do this?"

"Boy, how old are you?" The Grass Pokémon took the sweat off her face, staring at Lance.

"8... or I was when I was out of here, I don't know how long I'm gonna stay... Argh!" He stopped talking, feeling the shock coming from the collar again, staggering and falling.

"You're a child, I'm sorry, I don't want to…" her collar activated as well, making her fall to the ground, moaning in pain.

"You don't seem to understand the purpose. It's a fight to the death, you don't have time to talk to each other."

"Sorry, lady…" Lance said, panting and tired from all of that.

"I can say the same to you!" As she ran towards the Riolu, her tail gave small slashes on the air, sending wind blades.

Endure! Lance braced himself and took the hit.

Lance remained where he was, his body shining in a red tone. Pondering, he decided to end that battle right there. After he received the slash, Lance survived.

"I'm sorry!" Then, with his hand wrapped in a blue aura, he struck his opponent right in the neck, giving twice the damage he had received, throwing it against the wall, being able to hear the noise of a bone breaking and shattering the collar.

The girl's body collided with the ground, without moving at all. That's when Lance realized what he did. He had just killed an innocent. Someone who had dreams and hopes like him, who had disappeared like the boy and whose relatives were likely searching. When he realized what he had done, he opened his mouth, vomiting on the floor and crying. The Riolu started to punch ground, desperate and wishing with all his strength that Arceus would reverse what had happened and ended up fainting. The Heracross looked at that, feeling a little sorry for him.

"It seems that, despite the victory, the experiment was a failure. Well, he didn't evolve." The Gallade seemed disappointed, sighing.

"What are we going to do with him?" The Bug-type said, approaching Lance.

"One final test. Ask Blaze to make preparations, I'm putting him in charge of this test."

Heracross raised a brow. "What test will it be this time?"

"Sadly, we couldn't get him to evolve with those rare candies, so I'm interested in seeing how he handles himself in the wild."

"Right." The bug caught Lance on his lap, being greeted with protests from him, sneezing and trying to let go, but without the strength to do so. They left the room until they got to the room, when Heracross threw him inside.

Putting himself in a fetal position, the little Pokémon cried uncontrollably again, thinking what his family would think of him from now on, when he realized. If he had been stronger, this would not have happened to him. That little boy, that Pokémon Lance used to be, he died there. And now, the Riolu promised to get stronger.

 _If I survive this, I will get revenge on them... I swear…_ he thought, falling asleep due to fatigue.

* * *

"James, you only get the strangest missions, having to find an item here was not exactly what I wanted to do today, but it will have to do." he pondered while entering a forest.

The Typhlosion walked calmly, he was not in a rush in any way. Moving his ears, he heard a noise, hiding behind one of the trees. On the other side there was a Blaziken, who threw a little Pokémon on the ground.

James gasped, tumbling back when he noticed that it was the same of the missing poster he had seen before. Thinking fast, he ran to rescue him. The red Pokémon noticed, taking a sphere from his backpack and breaking it on the ground, disappearing into a strong glow. The boy, confused with what had happened, remained on the ground when he saw Typhlosion approaching.

"Hey... boy…"

"Get away from me!" Lance shouted, growling at the adult who was right next to him.

"Hey! Take it easy! I'm an explorer! Look here!" James took the badge from his bag, showing it.

"Explorer…?" Moving his ears, the Riolu slowly approached.

"I saw the mission." James got on his knees. "I was here for something else, but I'll take you home, ok? You must be tired, I don't know what you've been through, but it must have been hard."

"Home…" sniffing, Lance ran to hug the Pokémon, trembling and crying.

"It's okay... it's gonna be okay…" James got up, holding the child on his arms and left with him.

* * *

After half an hour, they arrived in Lance's hometown, walking towards the boy's house. The villagers looked at the duo in silence and clapped their hands, happy that he was found. At his house, his brother was asleep when he awoke after hearing the commotion.

"What's all that noise?" Yawning, Brian looked out of his bedroom window and gasped, running to call his father.

Stopping at the door, James carefully put Lance on the floor, when the Lucario and Zorua left the place. Words were not necessary to describe how happy they were to be reunited, so the three of them simply hugged each other with strength.

"Lance" Lance! You're okay! Oh, I was so worried!" The boy's brother was wagging his tail hard.

"I'm... back…" The Riolu forced a smile.

"Welcome home, son…" Nick spoke, unable to contain his joy, turning his eyes to the Typhlosion who had made the rescue.

"No need to thank me, it was nothing." James blushed, looking elsewhere.

 _I survived... and now, I'm going to make nothing like this happen again. Pokémon like them have to pay…_ Lance was thinking about what the future would bring. Even so, he allowed himself to be happy that he was finally reunited with his family.

* * *

Six years after it happened, the boys' lives seemed to have returned to normal, but this was not the case. Now that they were officially enrolled in their father's guild, the siblings went through rigorous training to graduate and thus be explorers. Lance and James were in the combat arena, watching a fight between his brother and another Pokémon, an Electrike. From his body came some sparks, while Zorua was invisible, using his illusions. The electric Pokémon smelled his opponent, running to where he had found it.

"It won't be that easy, Blitz! Pursuit!" Undoing the trick, Brian collided with his opponent's body, before he could do anything.

"That's where you're wrong!" Charging electricity in his body, after Blitz was hit by the impact, he released it on Zorua, throwing him away and at the same time giving him the paralyzed status.

"Argh!" crawling on the ground, Brian coughed, getting up and feeling the electricity running through him.

"You seem to be losing it, brother." Lance said, crossing his arms.

"Hey! You should be cheering me on!" Brian stared at his brother and turned to face Blitz.

"Well, I like to entertain the audience…" The Electrike laughed, staring at the Riolu.

"It's not my fault if he's good at it!" Lance looked away quickly, his face turning red like an apple, wagging his tail lightly.

"I'm glad to have such a fan." Blitz then turned his gaze to Zorua, advancing against him, firing a ball of electricity at him.

"I'm sorry, but I don't feel like it…" Jumping, Brian copied the movement, shooting the same attack as his opponent.

The collision of the two attacks caused a small explosion, filling the area with smoke. Growling, Blitz was paying attention, but he couldn't see or smell properly, so he focused on the noise. Even so, the boy was surprised with a black ball that hit him.

"Okay, the fight is over!" James spoke, approaching them

"You were good, Zorua." smiling, Blitz took a deep breath.

"I can say the same about you! Hehe!" Giving a broad smile, Brian showed his teeth.

"You guys aren't hurt too bad, are you?"Lance questioned them both as he got near.

"No, it's just a friendly session, there's nothing to worry about... well, I'm hungry, so, see ya soon!" The Zorua ran away to the cafeteria.

"I'll see you two there as well?" The Typhlosion looked at them with a smile.

"We'll be right there!" The Riolu said, helping the electric type stand up.

"Okay, see you later." The Typhlosion left.

"Thanks for your help, Lance." Wagging his tail, Blitz gave him a grin. "I'm impressed, I heard you were very unsocial, but it seems like we're friends."

"Haha... yeah, they say that about me... but I... I liked you. That's it." He laughed, trying to calm down as he blushed.

"I mean, you're really cute. I like you." Blitz said with a grin.

"I'm not cute…" lowering his ears, he covered his face, embarrassed.

"That just makes you cuter... not that I mind. Try me. Maybe you'll get what you want. It's too obvious." The Electrike went out the door, leaving Lance alone.

"Ah... that wasn't as bad as I thought, he thinks I'm cute!" Trembling with nervousness, he started walking. "That makes me feel good, it's been... a long time since I've been happy like this...

Breathing deeply, he walked again. Remembering the promise he had made to become stronger, he was not so sure that he would be able to be happy with another Pokémon, but at least in the moment, he would try the chance. And if it didn't work out... maybe it wasn't the right thing. While approaching the door, he felt an enormous tremor. Scared, the Riolu started running, the ground crumbling behind him, until he fell into the limbo, screaming.


	15. Dungeon 15 - The kids aren't alright

Lance woke up, seeing himself in the cave where he and his brother went, following the Snover's call for help. There was the Zorua, who had just woken up in front of him. And, deeper down, the Sigilyph who had made them both remember those deep memories. The Riolu got up, growling until he realized he had gone through those terrible experiments and days again. With his whole body shaking, he threw up and fell to the ground, not knowing what to do.

"H-Hey!" scared, Brian noticed what happened. Irritated by that, he turned to face the enemy Pokémon.

"Ah, I wanted to kill you while you were sleeping, but it seems you got rid of it so fast…"

"You made a very serious mistake…" the Zorua's blue eyes started to glow as he put himself in a combat position. After eating one of the Oran Berries he had, he was ready to attack.

"Did I? And what would that be, little Zorua?" The Sigilyph mocked Brian, keeping himself in the air.

"You hurt my brother... I don't know what he saw, but it's enough for me to kick your ass!" The boy's body was wrapped in a red aura, and he disappeared, activating his illusion.

"Did you forget that you are no longer immune to my attacks?" the Psychic-type gave a small laugh.

"Of course I know, but here's the thing... I think you need to taste your own medicine! Copycat!" his voice came from behind the psychic Pokémon and, imitating the previous movement, Brian used Hypnosis, hitting the Sigilyph, who started sleeping.

The Zorua fell to the ground, growling, his fur erect as he stared at the enemy, still angry at him, when Brian rammed against the Sigilyph, the dark type's body glowing black.

"Pursuit! And Fury Swipes!" he declared the attack, the Sigilyph could only get hit, still sleeping, being dragged to the ground, until he woke up by the damage, screaming in pain.

"I'm not finished with you yet." Brian took another Orb and became invisible again.

"You idiot! Air Cutter!" Flapping his wings, he created a cut in the air when he was hit by the orb, falling to the ground without being able to move even a muscle.

"Let's go…" Brian appeared behind his opponent, his body shining in a red tone. To finish the Sigilyph off, he shot a dark energy ball at him, knocking him out. Undoing the illusion, the boy fell to the ground, without energy.

"Brian…" his brother, staggering, seemed to fall at any moment, but even so, Lance decided to get closer.

"We won…" panting, the Zorua closed his eyes.

"You did all this for me? I can't believe it…" he murmured, lips trembling.

"Relax, you're important to me," Brian grinned.

Lance didn't know how to react. For all the years since he was kidnapped, the boy closed off his emotions. But this time, it seemed he could finally feel something, some genuine happiness. Looking at the ceiling and pondering for a few moments, he fell, exhausted. Thinking fast, he opened his backpack, taking the last Orb he had.

"Come on... we need to go back and leave this guy with the detective..." he said, touching the Sigilyph's body.

"Okay…" Brian agreed, leaning against the orb.

The Riolu hit the Orb on the ground, making the three of them shine, disappearing from there. Another battle was won by the duo, but not everything seemed to be fine.

* * *

A day had passed after the confrontation and the explorer duo were now at the police station, seeing their opponent being taken to jail. Lance, with his arms crossed, was looking at the Sigilyph as he came out of the Riolu's field of vision when he heard the noise of someone pigeoning. When he turned around, he saw detective Apollo.

"Thanks a lot, children," the Arcanine smiled at them, showing his teeth.

"You're welcome. I'd like to warn you that we won't be able to execute the plan today, my brother and I are exhausted," the Riolu said, glancing at the Zorua.

"Yeah... we need to talk some things in private," he just shrugged.

"Right. So meet me here tomorrow," after he finished talking, the cop walked out of there.

They both left the place, walking the streets of the city. During the walk to their apartment, they looked at the population, who remained doing their activities normally.

"They don't seem to suspect the dark side here," Lance sighed.

"Well, it's not as if those guys were killing indiscriminately…"

"They still have to pay," the Riolu closed his fist, growling.

"I understand... by the way, I was serious at the police station, we need to talk!"

"I... know…" biting his lips, he kept walking.

* * *

When they arrived at their home, both of the siblings went straight to the apartment upstairs. After locking the door, they sat down on the couch, staying a few moments in silence. Neither wanted to say anything.

"Ok! I'll start it here…" Brian said loud, looking at his brother.

"Go ahead," hesitating a little, Lance averted his gaze.

"I kept remembering a few things because of that Sigilyph," lowering his ears, he didn't seem to want to talk about it, yet he took the courage to continue. "From that time you disappeared."

Those words hit the Riolu like a stab in the boy's heart. The subject of the conversation was very delicate, even after eight years of what happened.

"I also did. My dream ended with Blitz."

"Blitz?! Wow, I wish things had worked out between you two," Brian noticed that he had deviated from the subject and shook his head. "I never knew what happened when you got taken. If you want-"

"No," Lance cut his brother's sentence, breathing deeply. "I'm sorry, I... I went through a lot there. I had to kill to survive, because of the crazy scientist who drugged and tortured me for a month...

"I'm sorry Lance, I shouldn't have asked," Brian gulped, ears lowered, remembering that he wanted to do something to stop his brother. For a moment, he wished he could go back in time and correct that. But it was impossible.

"That's ok. It was hard to go through all that alone, I... thought I had overcome it. The worst part is, it's the second time I thought that. The last time was when I was with the Blitz ... during the time we were together I felt happy," Lance looked down, his ears drooping as he reminisced. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"Using him to try to solve your problems was not a good thing to do, even if you both loved each other," Brian said, and his brother just nodded. "Even so, I know I can't make your trauma disappear, but... I hope I can help you."

"T-Thank you, Brian," embarrassed, Lance blushed. "You're my partner on this journey and my brother, I trust you, I just don't know how to show it."

"I also care about you, know that I will be here for whatever you need," Brian gave a faint smile, wagging his tail. "You don't need to hide anything from me!"

"Okay. I can't promise anything, only I guarantee I'll think about it. I'm really tired. I'll see you later," yawning, the boy got up, going into his room.

"Hopefully, everything will be fine," stretching, the Zorua did the same thing as his brother, entering the room and throwing himself into bed, immediately falling asleep.

While Lance was lying in bed, he began to reflect on the last part of the dream he had during the fight. The Riolu remembered the time they had spent together, where he was happy, despite all that happened.

"I loved you, but... I hurt you a lot... I wish it had worked out, I'm not good with relationships, I guess. Not with everything that happened to me," the boy gnashed his teeth. "I don't have time to think about it, I need to plan how to get rid of those three... for good or for bad," he closed his eyes, falling asleep.

In the other room, Brian was asleep, moving on his bed and sweating. In his mind, he could see himself at the exit of his city. The place was covered with a dense fog, and you could hardly see what was far away. Striving to see, the boy saw a silhouette with a familiar shape. Raising his eyes, he recognized it as his brother and started running, but he didn't seem to leave the place, even if he tried while Lance moved further and further away, making a crying noise.

"AH!" Brian gasped, waking up from the nightmare. With his body trembling, he began to breathe slowly, in an attempt to calm down. "I have to be strong... as Uncle Shiron said, I will protect him and none of that will happen again!" Pondering, he went back to sleep.

* * *

At dusk, detective Apollo was leaving the police station after a long day. The plan he had made with the two boys was about to be executed and until now, everything was in accordance. When he entered his residence, he saw, standing there, a Gothitelle, staring at him in silence and holding an envelope.

"The mayor's secretary" rolling his eyes, the Arcanine waited to see what she would do.

"My name is Jane, detective. But that doesn't matter much at the moment," she put the paper on a desk. "I know you're still conducting the investigation and the mayor would like to make a deal with you."

"He wants me to stop…"

"Well, you can continue if you want, after all, you're free to do it... however, I can't guarantee that everything will happen without problems."

"And you think I'm just going to ignore a corruption that's in front of me?!" he shouted, growling and preparing to attack.

"The choice is yours, but like every choice, it has consequences... you have until tomorrow to decide," the woman walked out the door of the house in silence.

"Shit!" Apollo said, smoke coming out of his mouth.

* * *

After they woke up and had breakfast, the duo was prepared to execute the plan, which meant they would have to go to the police station to pick up the recorders. That way they left.

"Even after that last fight, we will still have to arrest the other three," Brian shrugged.

"I had an idea that will allow us to settle the score with those guys," he smirked. "They need to get a taste of their own medicine."

"I think I know what you're getting at, but we're gonna have to get this right…"

"You see, brother, you're going to play a big role, I trust you with it." Lance's smile widened as he kept walking. "You do wanna help me, right?"

"O-Of course!" Brian had a goofy grin on his face.

The two of them stopped at the entrance and then went inside the place, going to the Arcanine's office. As they arrived, the explorers saw the policeman walking in circles, while he mumbled a few words to himself. When he noticed the boys, Apollo turned to face them.

"Good morning, and I have some not very good news for you," he said, lowering his ears.

"What happened?" The Riolu asked, sitting on a chair.

"The mayor's secretary tried to bribe me, and honestly, I don't know what to do," he sighed.

"Do they even know our plan?" this time, it was the Zorua who asked the question.

"I don't know, but messing with the most powerful Pokémon here is pretty dangerous," Apollo grumbled, still unsure what to do about that.

"No. That's how they win," Lance closed his eyes, analyzing the situation. "If we fall into their game, nothing will change."

"My brother's right, I don't want to see someone like that get away with murder!" Brian stared at the cop.

"Right," Apollo scratched his chin. "I understand, so let's get on with it. Will you two go to your positions now?"

"Exactly," Lance nodded.

"Ok. So let's do it," opening the drawer, he took two devices, delivering them to the duo.

"Our plan... will not fail," keeping the recorder in his backpack, Lance left with his brother.

"Good luck boys," Apollo gulped, hoping for the best.

* * *

After leaving the police station, they both went in opposite directions, Lance going to the Black Skull guild, while Brian went to the city hall. Determined to solve the case, the boys wanted to accomplish the task.

"I wanna kick that guys' ass, but I'll have to control myself," sighing, the Zorua ran, getting closer and closer to the building, and when he entered, he saw the Gothitelle on the desk.

"Good morning, do you have an appointment?" she asked without even looking at the boy.

"For him, I will make an exception. It's always good to see what explorers have to say to me," the Alakazam spoke, coming down the stairs.

"Let's do this Brian, you can't screw it up!" taking a deep breath, he went up next to the psychic Pokémon, turning on the recording device and keeping it in his backpack.

"So, can you tell me what you came here to do, boy? I'll have to get used to all of these visits," he said, sitting on the chair.

"I've been here before if you didn't know!"

"Yes. Dark-types. You are immune to my psychic attacks," he got up, looking at the city through the window. "Well, let me ask you something. What do you think you'll gain by continuing on this journey? Recognition? Fame? Things like that come and go."

"At the moment, bringing closure to someone who is suffering... but the question I want to know... the reason. What led you to hire those mercenaries?" Brian's ears dropped as he backed away, hoping that the recorder was working properly.

"Whoever controls the city controls a lot of things, kid. He was an obstacle that had to be eliminated."

"So he only got killed for being in your way?! He had a family!" That was the last straw. Brian snarled, his body glowing red.

"And you're the one who's going to lose if you keep this up," the Alakazam turned around, staring at the Zorua. "Next time, they won't fail."

"That's what I needed... thanks!" Becoming invisible, the boy ran outside the room, turning off the recorder.

The mayor squinted his eyes at that, without understanding why he just ran away.

"Strange, there's no reason he did that, unless... the police!" he clenched his teeth, calling the secretary. "Don't let him escape, he must have recorded the conversation!"

Brian was almost leaving the place, when something grazed the Zorua's head, causing a small explosion that distracted him, making him visible again. Looking back, he saw the Gothitelle with some seeds in her left hand. Extending his right arm, the boy's backpack shone, being lifted in the air by telekinesis.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you get away with this…" she said as the bag got near.

"Shit! Lady, I don't have time for this! Pursuit!" Moving fast, he collided with the female, decentralizing her and making her backpack fall to the ground.

After the collision, the secretary threw another seed at Zorua, which exploded on contact, throwing him to the ground. As he tried to get up, he realized that his body was not responding correctly, making an effort not to fall on the ground with dizziness.

"You may be immune, but not invincible," she took the backpack with her free hand, moving inside.

"Totter... Seed... shit... Pursuit!" trying to use the move, he hit himself, unbalancing and falling to the ground.

When he got up, concentrating as much as he could, he fired a dark energy ball into the seeds that Gothitelle was carrying, generating another burst and knocking her out. Suddenly, one of the seeds shone and Gothitelle got up, her energy restored.

"You have a Reviver Seed?!" he gasped, shaking his head. "Focus, Brian! The effects are already diminishing!"

"Tsc... Brick Break!" seeing that her items no longer worked, she stood up, her arms shining. Then, the woman advanced against the boy.

Without having time to react right, Brian was hit hard, falling to the ground with his body sore from the attack. Even so, he didn't plan to give up that fight and got up with difficulty, his eyes shining in a red tone, determined to overcome that obstacle. The shine intensified, covering the boy's entire body, which ran in the direction of the opponent. As he walked, he grew in size and his paws developed claws. The hair clump on his head stretched out on his back, becoming a full mane.

"Night... Daze!" He declared, jumping back after approaching, dispersing the red aura that was on his body. Despite trying to dodge, the Gothitelle collided with the wall and fell to the ground, fainting.

Panting, the newly evolved Zoroark took his backpack, and, before the mayor could return, he ran out of there. Stumbling and falling flat on the ground, Brian got up, running again.

"Okay, I'll need to get used to walking on two legs... but at least I made it! I hope Lance made it too…"

So, the boy followed towards the police station with the recorded conversation, stumbling a few times while getting used to his new shape. Until now, everything was going as planned. It was up to the boy to trust that his brother would fulfill his part of the strategy.


	16. Dungeon 16 - Unwavering Actions

The wind blew as Lance went inside the Black Skull guild’s building. Stoic as always, he focused on the mission, going straight to the guildmaster’s office. The boy had already planned how he was going to convince him to reveal himself and gave a light smile, opening the door.

“Ah, it's the young explorer... to what do I owe the pleasure of his visit? I'm sorry about what happened in your apartment,” Swalot was in his chair and turned his eyes to Lance.

“Shut up.” Lance spoke, sitting on the chair. “Anyone with enough neurons would realize that this situation is too convenient for you.”

“Excuse me?!” Looking away, he shuddered slightly, but remained pretending ignorance. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Is that how you want to play it? Fine. Let me explain it for you,” sighing, Lance stared into the eyes of the poisonous Pokémon. “Evidence number one: you wanted to interrupt our investigation. Number two: shortly after we confronted Alakazam, we were attacked in our apartment. Number three: while I was in the hospital, my brother decided to talk to you again... and of course, he has the element of stealth with him. Who would have thought that he would listen to your conversation on the phone?”

“Boy, stop being an idiot and an idealist! This is the adult world! You don't know how it-”

“Shut up! Don't assume for one second that I don't know how things work!” Lance hit the table, snarling to the Swalot.

The Riolu bared his teeth and stopped, taking a deep breath, Lance put his hands on his face to calm down and continue the conversation.

“You are a despicable being, Robert.”

“As I said, that's how adults work! Don't come with that idealistic talk! Those who don't have the power need to find ways to do it... it's survival!”

“Silence. I understand perfectly. I have suffered a lot and I know exactly how things work. You're pathetic, a Pokémon like you shouldn't be running this guild... an accomplice to murder,” he stood up, eyes fixed on the guildmaster “I can’t stand around doing nothing. Only justice can bring peace.”

The Swalot trembled, breath and heart rate accelerated. He couldn’t believe that this kid, who just got on the town, was already trying to make him go to jail. However, there was still something Robert could do.

“So what?!” he grinned. “You can't do anything, the police have no proof of my involvement!”

“Shit!” Lance’s eyes squinted and he backed away. “This detail... I came here for nothing.” The boy lowered his ears and closed his fists.

“Exactly! I work with them and in exchange the mayor finances me! But you can't do anything, you're weak... Fortunately, I'm in a good mood, I'll let you out, but if you keep doing this, the mercenaries won’t be the only Pokémon you’ll need to worry about,” after finishing the sentence, the purple Pokémon started laughing out loud.

“N-No…” Lance said in a low tone and left the building.

After leaving the guild, the boy walked towards the police station, smiling and grabbing the recorder in his backpack. Swalot fell into the trap as planned. Happy that his plan worked, Lance went on to meet his brother.

“Okay, if he did his part, then I'll have to use Brian's strength again…” thinking, he rolled his eyes, seeing Zoroark at the police station door.

“Heya, little brother!” Brian gave a broad smile, making the sign of peace with his fingers.

“You evolved... congratulations.”

“Thanks,” he said scratching his head. “Oh, I have my recording. And you?”

“What do you think?” Lance showed the device.

“So come on, Apollo's waiting for us!” so the two of them entered the scene, heading to the Arcanine's office.

* * *

The Arcanine was on a chair built for quadruped Pokémon, waiting for the boys to show up. When he heard the door, the canine’s gaze shifted to the entrance.

“Kids! How was it? Everything went well?!” Apollo approached them.

“We have the necessary proof. So, answering your question... yes.” Lance put his recorder on the table and soon his brother did the same.

“You... really did it,” the Arcanine's tail began to wag quickly and he gasped.

“We never had any doubts about our ability,” the Fighting-type gave a light smile.

“That's right... but what now? You still have those three,” Brian spoke, looking at them.

“Well, without the political support, I think it will be easier to arrest them.”

“I have a suggestion,” the Riolu raised his arm.

“Let's listen carefully, kid.” Apollo nodded.

“My brother and I will arrest them personally. After all, it was we who received the mission from that Tyrunt,” Lance squinted his eyes. “They need to receive the proper punishment.

“I don't see any problem with that, but... do you happen to have a plan?” Apollo looked at them, trying to understand what they were going to do.

“Actually, they gave me the idea... we're gonna do it their way…”

Brian realized his sibling’s plan, based on all the conversations they had after the battle with the Sigilyph.

“Wait! You want to forge a mission for them?!” Brian gasped, surprised at his brother's idea.

“Exactly,” Lance crossed his arms. “Detective, you have informants on the dark side of town, correct? Brian can pretend to be a client. Now that he's a Zoroark, his illusionist skills are better than before.”

“Yeah, but... don't you think it's dangerous? Your brother may end up being discovered, even with the support of my informant…”

“Oh, that's right. I'm sorry, Brian,” the kid shrugged, looking at the Zoroark. “Well, I can try to do it myself then... but maybe it would be more risky…”

“No! I will! I'm the best fit for that!” Brian declared, worried about what would happen to Lance if he went to do that part of the mission.

“Okay, so, detective, do we have a deal?” he said stretching his hand to the Arcanine.

“Yes,” Apollo shook Lance’s hand with his paw. “You guys can go home, I have to mobilize the cops to arrest the two of them, and probably make an announcement to everybody... come here tomorrow and I'll give you more instructions, ok?”

“Ok!” Brian agreed and walked away from there.

Lance decided to do the same, when he heard Apollo coughing. Turning back, he saw that the detective was banging his paws on the ground again and again.

“I understood what you did, kid... it wasn't very nice... especially with someone close…”

“Yes, I manipulated him so he could accept it. He's very protective, and that can be useful sometimes,” Lance walked out of the room.

“I hope this doesn't turn against you, kid,” he said, watching the Riolu leave.

* * *

On the way home, they both looked happy. After all, they just accomplished a successful mission. Brian was getting used to using two legs and his new height.

“Hey, now that we've taken the mayor out of office... Do Pokémon have elections here? It's not like we're citizens here... I think,” Pondering, the Zoroark scratched his chin.

“I didn't have time to fix that part because of all the mess with those mercenaries. But I think if Apollo tried, he'd be able to run... it would be good for him. He's an honest cop and after all we've seen around here, I'm surprised.”

“Yeah... we've only been living here a short time, but it doesn't look like it. How do you think things are at home?”

“Knowing Dad, he must still be on the mission... they went to the extreme northwest of our continent... I hear it's an island run by a monarchy.”

“Monarchy... we hardly see that around here anymore…”

“Indeed. Well, I'm starving... we can order food today too,” Lance looked up, smiling to his friend.

“Or you could learn to cook, you know?” Lance's brother laughed for a bit.

“Your tongue grew along with that evolution of yours,” he sighed.

“Relax, little brother, someday you'll become a Lucario!” Brian nodded, stretching his body.

“Obviously. I can't be a Riolu forever, my aura skills wouldn't be good enough,” entering the building, he went upstairs to the apartment.

* * *

Away from the two, Mayor Alakazam hit his table hard, even pushing the furniture, knocking it to the floor. On the first floor of the building, the Arcanine came next to two Pokémon: one Dewott and one Throh.

“Lee, be careful, he might try something and has type advantage.” Apollo said to Throh and turned his look to Dewott. “Jack, prepare your shells in case the force is needed. We'll take him into custody as soon as possible.”

The three policemen followed, seeing the secretary fainted. Signaling Lee to take care of her, he went up to the Alakazam room next to Dewott. When they got there, the mayor walked away, trembling with fear and at the same time clenching his teeth, all because he had been exposed by a simple Zorua.

“Please, I'll pay…”

“Mayor Prometheus. You're under arrest on a charge of murder,” unable to hide his smile, Apollo faced the Alakazam. “Anything you say can and will be used againt-

“No! You can't do this to me! You can't do this to me!” he started to float, eyes glowing in a pink tone. “You little, insolent brats-”

Without time to finish the sentence, the psychic Pokémon was hit by a seed and fell to the ground, sleeping. The Dewott closed his bag.

“Okay, boss, now we can take him... we'll have to report it,” the Water-type said, staring at the detective.

“The others must have taken the Swalot by now. They'll be great cellmates. Now only the mercenaries are missing,” he grinned.

“Are you really gonna trust them both to catch those criminals? I mean, their plan is good, but risky.”

“It was because of them that we managed to arrest those corrupt guys, so I'll have to believe, even though I don't like that Riolu's idea,” he shrugged.

“Alright,” the Dewott turned around. “Anything else we should do, boss?”

“Jack, I'd like you to investigate this building for more evidence, it may be necessary. I have to prepare things for the press... okay, I admit it's gonna be horrible to do, but it'll be worth it!”

* * *

As night fell, three Pokémon were in their usual place, a bar. Aggron, Empoleon and Bisharp were sitting at the table, talking among themselves about the last days.

“You heard the rumors, right? Delphis was captured,” Atlas said, rolling his eyes.

“Well, it means he was weak if he couldn't handle two boys,” Flint said, scraping the blades of his arm on the table.

“If you blame me again, I swear I will leave this organization, it's not all my fault that I wish to pay for the things I want!” Angry, the aquatic Pokémon yelled at his companions.

“Nobody said anything, and what's this idea of leaving? We've been together since we were teenagers!” Atlas growled, angry at what he heard.

“Anyway, it's just rumors. We have to be patient, maybe they're still in that cave.”

“Oh, they better be!” Atlas closed his fists, his tail hitting the ground hard.

Thinking about the next actions, the two rival groups wanted to give everything to prevent the other from succeeding in combat. But one idea was common to both leaders.

“I'll win... even if I have to... “ the Riolu thought while having dinner.

“Kill them,” Atlas pondered, confident in his decision.


	17. Dungeon 17 - Before the storm

The two brothers woke up listening to the noise of several Pokémon talking loudly, coming from the city. Due to the number of voices, they could not discern the subject of the conversation.

"What is all this uproar?" Brian asked himself and went outside of his room, yawning.

Outside, Lance was walking towards the window to observe what it was all about, with Zoroark right behind him. In the middle of the town, they saw a crowd, with varied Pokémons, from a small Caterpie to a Tropius, the latter wearing a mask, who was looking at detective Apollo and, on the side of the Arcanine, were the former mayor and guildmaster Swalot, both in handcuffs.

"I would like to draw the attention of our citizens today…" the Fire-type said, looking at all the citizens.

"I wonder what happened." a Weedle asked, looking at a Squirtle on its left.

"I don't know, but they're under arrest."

"I heard rumors that it was a newly arrived exploration team!" A Minun said with a smile.

Apollo coughed and took a deep breath. Rumors had spread fast, but he couldn't tell the whole thing, as it might draw unwanted attention.

"I know you must be wondering why I called them here. I came to publicly announce the arrest of these two criminals, who worked with mercenaries, paying them and covering up their crimes."

The citizens gasped and began to chatter amongst themselves, it was a shock for them and they needed a little time to process all that.

"This is ridiculous, do you have any idea how much I did for you?!" the Alakazam growled, trying to use a move, but felt his energy deplete, panting.

"Prometheus," the Swalot looked down. "It's over."

A Furret got near the Arcanine, wearing a small hat on his head and, in his hand, a notebook. He was writing on it and looked at Apollo.

"Sir! I am Walker, could you answer some questions?! It's for the news! This is a big scoop!"

"I know you want to know how we got them arrested, I won't go into details, but I had the help of some very special Pokémon," Apollo smiled, wagging his tail. "It looks like life in this town is going to get a little better. No further questions, please!"

Away from the crowd, the group of mercenaries watched the policeman's speech in silence, attentive to what had happened. Atlas banged his tail on the ground, gnashing his teeth.

"It's decided, we have to eliminate those brats, it's a war for our survival," he said.

"They are an exploration team. I doubt they'll have the guts to kill us," Flint answered, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"But it's not good to risk it!" the Empoleon gulped and looked at his companions.

"Well, let's teach them what we're made of," the Aggron nodded and turned around, leaving with the other two.

* * *

Officer Apollo, after sending the criminals to prison, decided to visit the exploitative duo. He was already knocking on the door, waiting for them to open. When they did that, he entered calmly.

"Thanks again, boys," Apollo sat on the floor.

"I already told you, it's our job... anyway, it's not over," Lance got on the couch, crossing his arms. "We still have to arrest those three. Is everything ready for our plan?"

"Yes, I came here just to pass the details. Do you still want to do that?"

"We will!" Brian spoke up so the detective would listen.

"Okay. All right, then. Boy, get ready. They meet in a bar frequented by mercenaries. My informant is a Scrafty, his name is Bruno. He'll be waiting for you in the lobby, so the guard won't suspect," he took a deep breath. "Now, this part is up to you. What will your cover be?"

"Hm... I know!" Laughing, Zoroark's body shone in a red tone for a few seconds until he became a Garchomp.

"Interesting choice," Lance gave a faint smile, hopefully, the plan would work.

"Michael. This is my disguise's name," Brian nodded, undoing the illusion.

"Okay, and what's the mission you're gonna hand them off as a cover?" Apollo turned his face, looking at Lance.

"We'll send them to a dungeon that's north of this city, the same one Sigilyph sent us, I'm sure they don't know we were there, and we'll send them on an assassination mission," Lance kept his gaze on the Arcanine. "The target: us."

"Wouldn't that... be too obvious, kid?"

"I thought about this possibility, but considering how much we hindered them, I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to take the chance to eliminate us."

"I accept the risks…" Brian sighed, determined to fulfill his part.

"I understand. I heard that they're there at night, so when it gets dark-"

"My brother goes there," Lance finished the sentence.

"And for your sake, take care…" Apollo stood up, walking towards the door.

"We will," Lance went to his room.

* * *

At dusk, the two left the condominium with serious looks on their faces. Brian was already in his disguise, taking a deep breath to prepare himself. Outside, there was a Scrafty waiting for them.

"Brian, while you're on that mission, I'm going shopping... when we went to that Watchog's store, I saw some TMs. I'll buy one for you. I'll meet you here when I'm done?"

"Absolutely!" Nodding, the Garchomp went ahead.

"I admire your courage, kid," the Scrafty said. "Let's go."

"Thank you…"

After a while, they arrived at the lower area of Bright Dawn. Brian gasped, as the place seemed to be poor, the smoke filled the air much like the other part, but unlike there, most houses they could see appeared to be made of wood. As they walked, both saw the bar symbol on the sign, a Snorlax holding a big glass of beer. At the entrance, there was a Roserade, who simply stared as she watched the duo approach.

"Good evening, Rosalina," Bruno bowed to the Roserade.

The Grass-type stared at the dragon, seeing his entire body. Since she never saw the Pokémon before, the female was apprehensive about letting him in.

"Who is this Garchomp with you?" she prepared to attack, pointing at Brian.

"Someone who went here just so he could talk to the Crew. He's with me," the Scrafty shrugged, tapping his foot on the ground.

"Got it. What's your name, dragon?" Still not convinced, Rosalina stared at Brian.

"Michael…"

"Okay. I'll trust Bruno. But if you do anything, I'll be watching," the female said, giving way for them to enter.

* * *

The place was crawling with criminals, who were either drinking or talking with potential clients. The three Steel-type were at the very end, chatting. Thinking about how he would act, Brian sat at the table next to them, with Bruno doing the same thing.

"How do you want to proceed, Michael?" Bruno waved to the waiter to bring a drink.

"I was thinking about you giving the idea, since... you've been here longer than I have," Brian answered, looking lightly at the trio at the other table.

"Ok. Leave it to me," Bruno got up and approached the trio, coughing.

"What do you want with us?" Flint looked at him with a blank expression.

"I have a client for you," he said pointing to Garchomp, who was drinking a glass of beer.

"A client at this hour!" Atlas grumbled, annoyed.

"Atlas, don't mind if I do!" Laughing, the Empoleon went to the table where Brian was sitting.

"He didn't even consult us, but whatever," the Aggron muttered to himself and followed Napoleon.

Flint was behind them but decided to stand up, crossing his arms and gazing upon the Garchomp.

"Ok, Bruno talked to me about your work and... about the last one you accepted."

"Are you talking about the kids? I admit we didn't do as well as usual, but we are still an efficient team…"

"I know. That's why I'm here. You see, I met them at Heavenwind, where they stopped a scheme with some comrades of mine," the Garchomp snarled. "Anyway, I got away and when I found out they were here, I needed to take the chance!"

"Interesting. Tell us more…" Napoleon grinned, listening closely to what their client was saying.

"I bribed the Weavile from their apartment and… they're going to a magma Dungeon next to this city."

"That infernal dungeon!" Flint laughed. "What do you think? It's a perfect opportunity to get rid of them…"

"Wait a minute, you sadistic Bisharp! How do we know we can trust this guy?!" Atlas punched the table, at this point he didn't want to risk his life on a suicide mission.

"Money can bring a lot of confidence." Brian threw a handful of coins at the table. "I can give you fifty-percent now and the rest of the kids are dead. Of course, without anyone finding out."

"Check it out! Finally something good for us! We'll take it for sure!" Napoleon grabbed the coins hard, keeping them in his backpack.

"What the fuck?! Don't make decisions without consulting us first!" Atlas growled at him, suddenly getting up.

"But he's right, it's a good idea," Flint laughed, enjoying the moment.

"You two are going to kill me any day now... Garchomp, we accept your mission. When are we going to do that?"

"They will go tomorrow, from what I heard," Brian stood up with a grin on his face.

"Then you can count on the Heart of Steel Crew. We are at your service," Atlas nodded to him.

"Thank you," Brian smiled and walked away from there.

* * *

Lance was walking, holding some items in CD format, with one of them having the color brown and the other, orange. Seeing a Zoroark from afar, the Riolu waved to him.

"Sup, Lil' bro!"

"I have the normal size of a Riolu, you idiot," the Fighting-type grumbled. "Did you do it?

"Yes! It wasn't as hard as I imagined, they're very angry at us."

They talked while entering the apartment, discussing the next step of the plan. Showing the TM, Lance threw it to his brother, who caught it with one of his hands.

"It's a Fire-type move. It's for you."

"Alright! What's the other one?!" He asked, pointing to the CD in his sibling's hand.

"That you might need to find out when we get there…" the Riolu laughed, teasing his brother.

With the fall of the night, the two brothers decided to practice during the little time they had to learn the new moves. It was the calm before the storm...


	18. Dungeon 18 - Breaking the armor

Leaving the market again, the Riolu and Zoroark now carried a bag full of items. Today was the day they agreed to arrest the mercenaries. Walking towards the apartment, they saw the ally who helped them during most of their stay: detective Apollo.

"What are you doing here?" Lance cringed, as he was not expecting that to happen.

"I will help you, what is better than a Fire-type against a gang of Steel-type Pokémon?" Laughing lightly, he smiled at the boys.

"We're already leaving, they must be on the way too... look!" opening the bag, Brian showed the items he had bought.

"Hm, are you going to use all this?" Apollo looked at the bag with a smile.d

"After that beating, I wanted to make sure I could settle the score…"

"I understand... you have my full support, today I will participate in the action!" Apollo let out a little ember from his mouth and blushed.

"I see you will be useful for this expedition... finally, let's go…" Lance put his backpack on his back, walking towards the exit of the city, being followed by the two companions.

* * *

On the road outside, the three mercenaries walked silently, checking the map to make sure they were going to the right place. Atlas was the one that stayed ahead, paying attention to the surroundings. In the middle, Flint checked the supplies in his backpack. Finally, Napoleon walked with a wide smile on his face, he was enjoying this job.

"Today we free ourselves from it and we can move on with our lives," the Aggron started the conversation, talking without looking back.

"Someone here is very paranoid," Flint couldn't help but laugh.

"You scare me sometimes. I'm very lucky that we're not enemies," the penguin spoke apprehensively, looking at them.

When they arrived at the divide, they looked at the sign, indicating that they should go west. Turning to the left position, they continued on their way.

* * *

Far from them, right at the exit of the city, the trio consisting of Riolu, Zoroark, and Arcanine walked in silence. Already knowing the location of the dungeon, they didn't even need the map.

"Can you believe I've never been to such a place? I've lived in the city all my life," trying to break the ice, Apollo smiled at the brothers.

"We've been several times, because of the guild training. It was hard... but worth it," Lance sighed. "So, Mr. Apollo, you never wanted to become an explorer?"

"Well, I admit I tried," he laughed, tail swishing around. "But then I realized that being too far from home wasn't something I'd like to do, so I became a cop."

"Cool! We're a long way from home... it was the dwarf's idea here." Zoroark pointed to Lance, who just shrugged and kept walking.

"What made you want that? Now I'm curious," after Apollo said that, Lance stopped walking, staring at the Arcanine.

"I love my family, but I have some bad memories from when I was little... and I didn't want to be in anyone's shadow," he walked again.

"The last one to arrive is a rotten Exeggcute!" declaring, Brian started to run, already seeing the sign.

"He... is very energetic," Apollo blinked, holding the laugh and starting to run.

"There are two of him now…" Lance covered his face with his hands and ran after the other two.

* * *

Inside the cave, the mercenaries were already beginning to feel the heat of the place, except for Napoleon, who was walking like normal. When they saw some wild Pokémon, the penguin used his Liquidation move, knocking them out and allowing them to advance, entering a corridor.

On the other hand, the explorers and the detective had arrived inside the dungeon. Apollo, because of his typing, didn't feel any trouble from the temperature, although his companions were sweating.

"So this place is like this... these caves change the organization when you leave, don't they?"

"Yes, I always wanted to know how this happens, maybe someday," taking the sweat off his face, the Zoroark kept walking.

Stopping in a wide, empty area, the criminals were angry. They had already been in that cave for a long time and they found no sign of the boys. Atlas kicked a stone, growling. His friends just watched him, without wanting to interrupt that demonstration of hate.

"I'm beginning to think that we've been fooled," Flint spoke in a low voice to the penguin, who nodded.

"Unfortunately, you have indeed been deceived!"

The voice forced all three of them to turn around, seeing a Zoroark with a broad smile on his face, showing his tongue to them. At that moment they realized what had happened the night before.

"You son of a bitch. I knew there was something wrong, how could I be such an idiot?! I swear... I will kill you…" Atlas closed his fist hard.

"I think it's a shock that you guys have been getting along all this time…" Lance approached, the Arcanine standing by his side.

"The police too? Wow, wow, you brought allies! How exciting!" Flint let out a loud laugh and put himself in a combat position.

"Flame Charge!" Apollo's body got involved in flames and he ran, crashing against the Bisharp, throwing him against the wall, at the same time increasing his speed.

"Now! Liquidation!" creating blades of water, Napoleon threw them at the Arcanine.

Using his accelerated speed, Apollo dodged all of them. from the shots, jumping back and falling close to the boys. Lance charged energy in the palm. Jumping, he shot, aiming at the Aggron.

"Force... Palm!" he said the name of the attack, gnashing his teeth.

Placing himself in front of Aggron, Empoleon extended his arm, generating an energy barrier and blocking the attack. Both sides did not want to give up the fight. Grouping with the other two, Lance panting. His enemies were also gathered, Flint having some burns on his body.

"Brian... showtime!" Riolu said to his brother.

"You can count on me!" the Zoroark's eyes shone in a red tone and a wave of energy covered the area, changing the scenery from cave to forest, but left the illusion only to the enemies.

The mercenaries saw the field change and on impulse, they moved away from each other, seeing only the tall and broad-leaved trees, covering the roof of the place.

"Shit, his illusions are stronger now. Argh!" Flint screamed in pain, feeling a huge amount of flames hitting his body, forcing him to fall to his knees. Taking an Oran Berry from his backpack, he ate without even chewing properly, healing part of his injuries.

"It's not over yet ... this is the new move that I learned ... Flamethrower!" Brian opened his mouth, releasing a wave of flames in Bisharp, which rolled to the side, deflecting. Realizing this, Zoroark hid in the illusion.

"Tsc, they're playing dirty." Napoleon looked around, unable to see his allies, and filled his arms with water, in case he needed to use Liquidation again.

"Force Palm!" appearing in front of the penguin, Lance fired another gust of energy at Empoleon, causing his body to start bleeding.

The Aggron, looking around, saw only the forest landscape. Irritated, he roared, when he heard the noise of a growl. In front of him was the Arcanine, with his body shining in a pinkish tone.

"Agility, and also... Double Kick!" he darted, giving two kicks on the Aggron's bodies.

In order not to be thrown, the great Pokémon put his claws on the ground, holding himself with all his strength. Away from there, Brian kept trying to shoot flames at Bisharp, but for that he had to undo his invisibility, giving time for the enemy to escape. Until he reached a point where he was beginning to pant, the illusion of trees being undone.

* * *

The two rival groups were divided between them. Apollo was close to Atlas, while Brian was with Flint and Lance, with Napoleon. Breathing deeply, Brian shot more embers. However, Flint thought fast and jumped, throwing some seeds against the move, creating a huge explosion on the spot, throwing everyone away from each other.

"Is everyone okay?!" Apollo looked at the boys, a little worried about them.

"An Onix fell on me," the Zoroark stood up, putting his hand on his head, being dizzy from the impact.

"Liquidation!" Laughing, the aquatic Pokémon threw more water-blade shots.

"I've had enough of that! Force Palm!" The Riolu attacked again, panting.

"We can still beat them…" Brian began to fill his body with red energy.

"I am the most capable to face Aggron, so…" Lance started to run, extending his arms backward as they got filled with energy. His eyes shone in a blue tone. "Force... Palm!"

Lance jumped while performing the shot, the boy was thrown with force towards the Aggron, who just opened his mouth, without believing what was happening.

"Grr... Thunderbolt!" from his hand he fired an electric beam at Riolu, which fell right in front of him.

"I'll take this chance... Flame Charge!" Apollo shot the Bisharp.

To fight back, Flint filled the blade of his right arm with psychic energy and released a cut in the air, hitting the Arcanine in the stomach and preventing its attack from continuing.

"Copycat... Force Palm!" Brian imitated his brother's attack, shooting Empoleon, who blocked using the Protect barrier once again, focusing only on the enemy.

Raising the Riolu by the neck, Atlas gave a loud laugh. Finally, he was about to end the threat to his survival. Starting to squeeze the boy's skull with force.

"You know, you have a huge ego, Aggron. but that's ok like I said... I am the most qualified to face you!"

Despite feeling pain, he took in his backpack an Orb, touching the Steel-type's body with it, filling them both in white energy and they vanished.

"Hey, boy! What did you do?!" Apollo screamed, coughing up a little blood, and getting up with difficulty.

"He used a Warp Orb! He's somewhere else in this-" distracted, Brian was hit by a white ray of light, dragging him across the floor.

"Hehe... that was a Flash Cannon, kid! Looks like your brother's not here to help anymore!" Napoleon laughed, enjoying himself.

"Let's finish them off soon... Atlas will deal with that Riolu."

"I know Lance better than you do... if he says he'll face that monster, then he will…" Brian staggered, eating an Oran Berry to heal his injuries, throwing another to Apollo.

"We are still standing and we can still fight," panting, the Arcanine growled, preparing to attack once again. Filling his body with flames, he was slowly cauterizing the cut he had received.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another area of the Dungeon, Lance and Atlas fell to the ground by the effect of the Orb that Riolu had thrown. Rolling back quickly, Lance was exhausted but had no intention of giving up. He would win, whatever the cost. Looking back, the steel Pokémon saw that they were on the edge of a precipice, with a lava well at the bottom.

"You know you're at a disadvantage now, don't you, kid?! I'm more than enough to break all your bones…"

Hearing that, Lance started laughing very loudly, tears flowing from the boy's eyes. Confused with what just happened, the Aggron gave a roar, throwing the Riolu away. After rising again, Lance gave a broad smile, as he had never done before. Atlas backed away, his heart beating faster.

"Nice words for someone who has four times weakness against my type. Finally... the conditions for my victory were met!"

"W-What are you talking about?! Have you lost your mind?!"

"I lured you away from others of my own free will, this is all... part of my plan!" Lance opened the backpack, he took the evolutionary item his brother had bought.

The Riolu's body was enveloped by a wide blue light and he began to grow. His ears increased, next to his tail, while two thorns appeared in his arms. In his chest appeared more hair and a small spike that seemed to be cracked. The newly evolved Lucario took a deep breath, concentrating an Aura Sphere on his hand.

"Very well, Atlas... our fight begins... now!"


	19. Dungeon 19 - The last one standing

"Oh? You can fight?" The Bisharp smirked, looking at the two enemies. "Delightful! I wouldn't want it any other way!"

"I gotta get out! This is too much!" Napoleon pondered, if he escaped, he would be fine.

"Come on boy, I know you can copy moves... So watch this!" Apollo charged against Flint, his body in flames.

"Hehe, yeah! Let's go!" Brian grinned, copying the detective's attack, launching himself against Flint.

"Napoleon, now! Psycho Cut!" Flint's arm glowed pink as he prepared to strike both of his opponents.

"Or maybe I should consider another option," smiling, the aquatic Pokémon created the water swords in his fins, but instead of aiming at the cop, he threw them at his ally.

Taken by surprise, Flint couldn't do much and received a cut that even pierced his body armor, making him fall. Irritated, he got up, looking who had hit him, when he was caught by the flames, crying in pain.

"What was that?!" Brian gasped, backing away after the move hit.

"It's every mon for themself!" Napoleon didn't hesitate, preparing to strike his former ally if needed.

"I have been friends with you all these years and this is how you repay me?" Flint growled and stood up, despite the burning feeling on his body. "Right, as I suspected... you're not even worth the ground you walk on."

Brian didn't know what to do, his eyes widened, trying to decide if he should trust the Empoleon or not. Maybe it was a trick, he was being deceived. Apollo looked at the Zoroark, lowering his ears.

"Kid, I know this gotta be hard, but we can't give up yet!" The Arcanine growled.

* * *

Away from them, both Lance and Atlas were fighting inside a corridor, where one could see a lava cliff on the end of the tunnel. The newly-evolved Lucario ran with a blue sphere in his hand, ready to attack the Aggron. Growling, Atlas let out another roar, throwing his enemy away. Lance didn't care and just laughed as the mercenary ran on all fours after him. The explorer could sense his enemy's aura exhaling from all the rage the Aggron was feeling. And Lance smiled.

"Hahaha! You're such an idiot! Too slow to do any damage to me!" Lance backed away, standing on his feet with a wide grin.

He was toying with him. That brat was toying with Atlas, like a wild Pokémon chasing their prey. The Aggron growled, his tail slapping on the ground. This was the one enemy they were chasing all this time? Perhaps it simply wasn't worth the effort. Atlas thought, trying to decide if he should just quit that.

There was no time to decide that, however. Lance stomped the ground, a shockwave coming through the floor like an earthquake, and Atlas had no way of reacting besides screaming in pain.

"Like I said, an idiot… Seriously, how did you guys get all those jobs, being so incompetent?" Lance smiled, cracking his knuckles.

Atlas tried to stand up, but the super effective attack forced him to stay on his knees. Smiling, Lance approached slowly, carrying another sphere on his paw. To that, Atlas opened his mouth, firing a red energy beam in his enemy's direction, who dodged by ducking.

"Wow, that was close, huh? Guess I underestimated you, criminal scum." Despite his words, the Lucario kept his cool. He was enjoying this, controlling where the fight would go left his blood pumping.

"You may think that... by having effective attacks, you'll win," Atlas stood up, panting. His body had a few cracks due to the attacks, and some drops of blood spilled from them. "But I'm not gonna let some random brat take control of my life! Someone who has it all!"

The Lucario growled at that sentence, his body suddenly glowing with a blue aura, that spread around the himself like flames. Lance lost his cocky attitude, wanting nothing more than to finish that battle as quickly as he could.

"You don't know anything about me or what I went through. Having suffered in your childhood does not give you the right to all the crimes you committed!"

"I had to do this to survive!" Atlas punched the wall with all his strength. "You're an explorer, I lost everything!"

"I heard what happened to your hometown, it's tragic... but it doesn't matter! Your choices after that event led you to this path! This is your responsibility!"

"Shut up... shut up... SHUT UP DRAGON CLAW!" The Aggron's claws stretched out, shining in a blue tone and he launched himself at Lance.

* * *

The other four opponents continued in a fierce fight. Now that there were three against one, Flint started to fight on the defensive against their attacks, muttering to himself. However, he kept calm, as any recklessness would have dire consequences.

"Alright...!" Brian took a deep breath, releasing a wave of flames against Flint.

At the same time, Napoleon ran as fast as he could, his body glowing pink as he got near the Bisharp, who prepared to dodge the flames and counterattack. Flint rolled on the floor, and created a large blade on his arm, striking the Empoleon.

However, Napoleon's body started to shine with a red light, falling apart in the air. The Bisharp's eyes squinted as he realized the illusion. Staring at the Zoroark, Flint prepared to strike yet again, when his enemy disappeared into thin air.

"Well, it seems you like to fight dirty, kid," Flint smirked.

"And you like to create orphans!" Flint heard a voice from behind him, getting hit by fire.

Now with his body burning, the Bisharp screamed in pain. It was clear that if he wanted to survive, he would have to do something soon. Throwing his backpack on the ground, he looked at the inventory. There were a few more orbs, and he grabbed the first one with force. Suddenly, the sphere turned into a Butterfree, which flew away, until it fell apart.

"I really... hate this! But listen, can I at least see my friend before you lock me away in jail?!"

The field itself was enveloped by a red light, undoing the entire illusion, and forcing Flint to close his eyes. When he opened them, he saw that Napoleon was in front of him, smiling. Behind him were Apollo and Brian, still in combat positions, prepared in case they needed to intervene.

"So that's the end? We go to prison," Flint couldn't help but laugh at that.

"No… I'm gonna be free! You, on the other hand…" Napoleon shrugged.

"Let's forget this small fight and finish both of them. I can… give you my savings, don't you want them?" Flint backed away, forcing a smile.

"Tsc, you idiot," he looked away, trying to ignore the deal. "How did we become friends?"

"We… didn't have anyone else, Napoleon. We still don't."

"Well, this is not good, I'm arresting both of you now!" Apollo took a step forward.

"No, We-" Napoleon stopped talking, screaming, feeling a pain coming from his chest. Looking down, he saw a blade on his abdomen.

"Guillotine. Normally, it would just knock you out. But to be fair, I'm done with you," Flint removed his blade.

"Y-You…" Napoleon fell to the ground, dead.

Brian screamed, the situation got out of control and it was all his fault for believing in Flint. Because of that, someone had died. The Zoroark's body glowed red as he made yet another illusion, rendering him and Apollo invisible.

"You don't have more things in your arsenal there, do you?" Flint looked around, pretending not to care about any of that. "I'm getting tired of it... it only proves how pathetic you are. Depending on tricks all the time…"

"Shut the fuck up!" Two blue eyes shone in the middle of the pitch, staring at Bisharp.

"This is our chance... Brian!" Apollo shouted, preparing another Flame Charge to use against the Bisharp.

Brian copied the move once again and both rammed against the Bisharp, who yelped as he took the attack, getting knocked out. Undoing the illusion, Brian was hyperventilating, tired of all that fight, and looked at the body on the floor, crying. It simply wasn't fair for him. He was kind enough to try and help both of them, but...

"He killed his friend!"

"I'm… sorry kid, but that's… what happened. Are you okay?" Apollo whined as he got near Brian.

"I... have to find Lance!" Brian wiped his tears away and ran off, his sibling was more important now.

* * *

Lance tried to cover the Aggron's attacks but still took the damage, screaming in pain and starting to bleed from the cut. Being a Steel-type in a magma cave, he was sweating a lot.

"As long as I don't stay near the lava, I'll be fine!" Lance wiped some of the sweat from his forehead, barely dodging another attack.

"S-Stay still! You little shit! I'm gonna kill you!" Atlas roared, trying to hit another Dragon Claw.

"Haha, but we're in a battle, I can't do that!" Lance leaped back, laughing.

"I HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!" The Aggron growled, throwing a thunderbolt at Lance, who screamed as he was unable to dodge that.

The Lucario panted, feeling the shock running throughout his entire body. Even if he felt pain, he was happy. The combat thrilled him, and he was still taking the lead of that battle. Lance smiled.

"Right... I got tired too... but I have to make sure of one thing first! Force Palm!" Looking at the ceiling, he shot that spot, making the rocks fall and seal the way behind.

Atlas gasped, confused at that, and grinned. They were now trapped, as far as he could tell.

"I've never seen a Lucario as crazy as you, kid!" The Aggron charged another Dragon Claw.

"And I've never seen an Aggron be so stupid!" Lance jumped to avoid the attack, another Aura Sphere on his hand.

Atlas was hit by the move and screamed. The impact generated a cracking noise as the Aggron's armor broke apart, its cracks spreading all over his body. The attack was so strong it pushed the mercenary back, near the cliff.

"No... I don't deserve this!" Atlas tried to move, but his body didn't respond. He got more desperate at each attempt, seeing that the Lucario got near him.

"Quite the contrary. You are pathetic and despicable. You are causing harm and for that... you deserve to die." Lance looked at him, face blank. Internally, he was overjoyed that his plan worked.

"Who do you think you are? You can't kill me, you're a member of an exploration team!" Atlas begged, trying to stand up.

"For the world to be a better place, sacrifices are necessary," he closed his eyes. "And I intend to do that. I am an ally of justice, and you… you need the proper punishment."

"E-Even so! You won't get away with this! That cop will end up arresting you!"

"Between you and me, who is more reliable in the eyes of the law? And better yet, I can get rid of the body with that lava there," Lance looked at the pit, a grin on his face. "This is gonna be my first step towards a better world."

"No... I refuse to die!" Using all the strength he had, Atlas stood up, roaring and advancing against Lance.

The boy just grumbled, and with another sphere in hand, hit Atlas right in the stomach. The cracks of before extended, covering his whole body as he cried out in pain, being thrown to the bottom of the abyss. As he fell, he thought about what he had done during his entire life. All the things that happened, all the Pokémon he met, it was all going away, melting in the lava. He screamed, magma pouring inside his mouth. Until finally, the noise stopped.

"Well done, Lance." He said to himself, walking away.

* * *

Brian was walking through the halls of the dungeon, looking for his brother in every corner while he camouflaged himself not to call the attention of any wild Pokémon, when he heard the screaming, following in the direction of the sound.

"What happened? I hope he's okay.." Brian stopped, seeing the rocks that covered the place where his brother was.

"Force... Palm!"

The rocks broke apart, clearing the path. Lance walked out and looked at his brother, ears dropping immediately.

"Lance! Thank Arceus you're okay! I heard the scream…" Brian stared at the end of the hallway, looking for Atlas.

"It was that Aggron, he fell into the lava and died…" The Lucario looked at the ground, pretending to be sad, even shedding a tear.

It just got worse for Brian, as he already saw a Pokémon die that day. The Zoroark began to cry again, when he got a hug from his brother, who didn't say anything, just trying to comfort his sibling.

"Th-That Empoleon is also dead!" Brian couldn't take it anymore. "H-His friend… he killed his friend! Right in front of me! And… And it's my fault! I-I trusted him!"

Lance sighed, rubbing his brother's mane. It was for the best that the Lucario kept quiet, just letting Brian vent.

"Brian. They did this to themselves. If they didn't trust each other, they weren't a real team," Lance looked back and let his brother go, walking towards the exit.

The Zoroark stood there for a few more seconds and decided to follow the Lucario.

* * *

On the outside, the Arcanine was waiting for the two of them and near them were some policemon, taking Flint into custody and Napoleon's body on a stretcher, covered so they wouldn't see. When he saw the boys, Apollo approached them, lowering his ears a little.

"Are… you okay?"

"It was the idea that popped into my head, sorry. And as for Atlas... he melted in the lava," the Lucario looked away, his body trembling.

"He died too?!" Apollo sighed. Somehow things got even worse.

"We won…" Brian looked at the sky, after all that, their battle was over.

For the Zoroark, it was a bittersweet victory, with both of the deceased Pokémon on his mind, Brian cried. His brother, on the other hand, looked away, satisfied with his actions against Atlas, but decided to keep Brian in the dark about that part.


	20. Dungeon 20 - Right back where we started from

The sound of hooves tapping on the ground filled the air as a Zebstrika ran on a road at midday, behind him was a carriage that contained three Pokémon.

"Two weeks. I can't believe it!" Brian looked through the window, the wind blowing the Zoroark's long mane. "Dad's gonna be so surprised, we both evolved!"

"Yeah," Lance nodded, reading a letter. "I guess he must have heard about our little adventures at Bright Dawn."

On the other side of the wagon, a Croagunk was watching the conversation amused, his teeth showing. It had been a while since Gama last saw the kids, and it seemed that they grew a lot.

"What did y'all do in that town? I assume you've fought a lot, considering the evolutions!" The Poison-type asked, grinning.

"We took down some mercenaries, alongside the mayor and a guildmaster," Lance sighed, prepared for his brother's reaction.

Brian dropped his ears, sitting on the vehicle. A victory happened, yes, but now without a cost. Even if they were criminals, the Zoroark couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Perhaps in other circumstances, they could have been allies.

Gama gulped, deciding to try and change the subject. "W-Well, did you know we went to Treasure Town?! I'll tell ya! WIgglytuff's guild is as eccentric as always!"

"Oh, really?" Brian gave a faint smile. "I've heard about their newest graduates. Apparently, they're a couple, and it's so nice!"

"Maybe one day we'll meet them. Although I don't think I can stand that pink furball," Lance frowned, putting the letter in his backpack. Now that he was a Lucario, he needed a bigger bag.

Marty suddenly stopped walking. "Sorry to interrupt, but we have arrived! The city of Thornwell is now in front of us!"

"Well, it looks like this is where we part ways!" Gama laughed. "Well, not really, since we're here, Marty and I might as well buy some stuff for us."

"You do you," Lance nodded, taking some coins and handing them to the Croagunk. "Brian, let's go."

* * *

The duo got out of the vehicle, heading into the streets of the town they were born in. Lance checked all the villagers, and as he thought, they were just like he knew. Brian, while walking, waved to everyone with a large grin. Eventually, both stopped in front of their house.

"We're here," Brian said, adjusting the goggles on his forehead. "Right back where we started from!"

"Are you serious…?" Lance grumbled. "You were waiting to say that song's name?"

"Hehe," he smirked. "Well little brother, it's a good song!"

"I hate you."

"We both know you don't!" Brian showed his tongue, walking to the door and knocking.

* * *

Nick yawned. After finally finishing that long mission, he could see his kids. The Lucario got up from his bed, climbing down the stairs. Unlike a normal member of his species, Nick had whitish fur, a sign of his older age.

"I'm coming!" He screamed, opening the door.

"Heya, dad!" Brian grinned, getting pulled into a hug.

"How are you doing, son?" Nick smiled, his tail swishing. The Lucario looked back, seeing Lance.

"Hello, father."

"I'm proud of both of you" Nick pulled away from the hug, checking his sons' new forms.

"We had a few obstacles along the way," Lance shrugged. "I-"

"Oh, we're gonna have a lot of time to catch up, dad!" Brian interrupted, storming into his house.

"I can see your brother seems energetic as usual," Nick laughed. "And you, Lance? Are you okay?"

"I'm gonna tell you inside…" He nodded, following the Zoroark.

* * *

Inside the Hero guild, a Sceptile was walking along the hall. Besides him was a female Snorunt, who stared at that unknown place, paying attention to the surroundings. She could see several rooms and a few Pokémon strolling around, some holding mission papers in their hands. Overall, she thought that place was beautiful.

"Meggie," The Grass-type said, looking at her. "This is a guild my friends made. Considering your… Peculiar condition, it might be a good place to start."

"T-Thanks, Mr. Yukino!" She gasped, the small female wasn't sure of what to do, but she didn't have other options.

"It's not a problem, really!" Yukino grinned, a sense of pride filling his chest.

"Well, Yukino's being responsible?! This gotta be a surprise!" From behind them, a Swampert approached, a huge grin on his face. He was wearing an engagement ring on one of his fingers, alongside a fedora on his head.

"A-Ah! Hello, mister Shiron!" Meggie nodded, backing away.

"Nice to see you again, Meggie! Did this lazy bun scare you?" Shiron smirked, looking at the Sceptile.

"Keep that up and I'll slap you with grass," Yukino retorted.

"Well, my husband's a Chesnaught, I already have enough grass for my whole life!" Shiron said.

"Anyway, I was actually looking for you. You see, Meggie's-"

"I'm a human!" The Snorunt answered, blushing. She covered her own face with the fur coat.

"Oh? Another human? Well, welcome to the club, Meggie!" Shiron gave her a wink.

"Regardless, we need to find a way for her to adjust to this world," Yukino pondered, looking at the Ice-type.

"Nick said his kids were coming for a visit, how about we invite her to their exploration team?"

"Excuse me!" Meggie blinked at that, annoyed at someone making the decisions for her. "I can decide for myself! For starters, what's an exploration team?"

"Well, we can at least go into their house, and I'll tell you on the way!" Yukino sighed, walking towards the exit.

* * *

Nick put some Slowpoke tails on a frying pan, heating it up. He had a fire oven, and as such, was cooking the food there, the aroma filling the air around him, alongside the crackling noise of the burning wood. His kids, on the other hand, were sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for lunch to be done.

"So! In two weeks, you arrested the mayor, a guildmaster, and three mercenaries?" Nick said with a smile, checking the food to make sure it wouldn't burn.

"Pretty much…" Brian dropped his ears, sighing.

Lance looked at his brother with a frown. "Well, not only that. We rescued a Zebstrika and took down a Luxray and his minions."

Nick smiled, putting their lunch on plates at the table, sitting on a chair. He looked at them, they were his pride and joy.

"By the way, where's mom?" Brian questioned, cutting some of the meal with a knife.

"Amelia is having an appointment with a patient right now, so we'll have to wait until she gets back," Nick answered, eating a bite of the tail.

"Aww, I wanted to tell her about our adventures!" Brian pouted when he heard the door knocking again, and went there to answer it.

* * *

Shiron was on the other side, holding a box with sweets on it. Alongside him were the Sceptile and Snorunt. The female looked down, blushing. Being in an unknown world was bad enough, and now she had to see some Pokémon she never even met before. Well, except for Nick.

"Hey, uncles! And you, I don't think we've been introduced!" Brian waved to the Ice-type, and she just nodded. "I'm Brian, Brian Williams! Nice to meet ya!"

"My name is… Meggie, I think."

"You think… What?" Brian tilted his head. "That doesn't even make sense, what do you mean?"

"There are a few things we need to discuss," Shiron sighed, looking at everyone. "It's best if we go inside.

As they got into the house, Meggie was impressed by how clean and comfortable it looked, giving a sense of nostalgia that she couldn't stop feeling.

"Who's that?" Lance, having finished his meal, stood up, gazing directly at the Snorunt.

"Oh, I see you brought her here, alright. Nice to see you again, Meggie," Nick said with a smile, still on the chair.

Lance eyed all the other Pokémon. From what he could gather, Meggie met his father and uncles at their mission, and she seemed to not know where she was. Perhaps amnesia was the answer? He decided to watch where the scene would go.

"Lance, Brian, I understand you have questions," Yukino said, crossing his arms. "During our mission at the kingdom of Cydonia, we found… her."

Meggie blushed, all she wanted right now were answers to who she was and where she came from, but all those Pokémon started to overwhelm her to the point she started shaking.

"Clearly, she's not liking this." Lance nodded, his feelers twitching as he sensed Meggie's aura.

"That's exactly where you two are needed," Shiron said. "Well, the truth is-"

"I'M A HUMAN!" Meggie screamed, panting heavily, despite being relieved of that confession.

As expected, Brian's eyes widened, and he kept staring at Meggie in complete disbelief, trying to see if his father or uncles would say anything to deny that.

Lance staggered, confused at that revelation. "A-A human? But those are myths! A funny little story for children!"

Nick shook his head in denial. "Not really, well… Shiron is also a human."

To that, Brian gasped, looking at the Swampert. For all intents and purposes, Shiron looked like a regular Pokémon, so where did that come from?

"...Nick is correct. I came from the human world," he shrugged.

"How?! How is this possible?! Are you telling me you became a Mudkip?!" Lance took a moment to breathe, pointing at the Swampert. "But what about all of the stories you told me when Brian and I were kids?!"

Shiron sighed. He was hoping that the boys would believe him and help that girl find her answers to the big questions she was asking herself.

"When I first arrived here, I woke up without memories-"

"I found him on the beach and decided that I needed to do something to help Shiron," Nick continued his friend's sentence.

Lance stopped, checking all of their auras. Apparently, they were telling the truth, even if it seemed like the ramblings of a mad mon. The younger Lucario sighed.

"Very well. I assume you want us to help that human?" Lance asked, looking at his father.

Meggie approached Lance, looking straight at his eyes, in an attempt to convince him.

"I… Don't know where I came from, so yes, please, I want to join your team!" Meggie nodded, giving a faint smile.

Brian clenched his fists and laughed. That was funny, of course, he would help! It was his job, after all.

"Alright, Meggie, right? Welcome to Team Liberators!" The Zoroark gave her a thumbs-up.

"Indeed. I can see that you must be confused," Lance looked at her, forcing a smile. "We'll help you, alright?"

"T-Thanks…" She said, blushing.

After that was settled, Brian remembered the other huge information he received.

"Also, Uncle Shiron! You don't remember anything too?!" Brian turned his gaze to the Swampert, who nodded.

"For now, let's relax, I'm sure you'll need it, all of you," Nick smiled, picking the finished plates.

The brothers' journey seemed to be heading towards a new direction…

* * *

A huge arena was the place where a Garchomp could be seen, it was in a combat position, preparing to strike its opponent, a Dragonite, who trembled, cornered into a wall. The Garchomp was wearing a collar with a pattern similar to its body. The area around them was large, and yet it felt empty, containing only a speaker on the ceiling.

"Number 17. You may initiate the fight whenever you want," a voice coming from the radio spoke, ending the sentence with a laugh.

"...Understood," the Dragon grinned.

"D-Derek, please! We were friends, I-I…" The Dragonite screamed, trying to reason with the other Pokémon.

"I'm sorry, Aster," Derek said with a smile. "Wait, no, I'm not."

The Garchomp touched the stone on his neck, and his body was enveloped in a pink glow. Derek laughed, his arms began to change shape, turning into scythes, and five spikes protruded from his chest.

"This is amazing!" The now Mega Garchomp screamed in ecstasy, licking his lips as he stared at his prey.

"D-Derek!" Aster opened his mouth, releasing a freezing energy beam towards the Mega Pokémon.

The Garchomp grinned, a protective barrier surrounding him and preventing the attack. His large, clawed arms glowed blue and he sliced through the air, two blades of energy going towards the Dragonite.

"Hell no! I'm not gonna get killed by that!" He flapped his wings, disappearing at an incredible speed, dodging the Dragon Claw.

After Aster finished dodging, he sighed in relief. That momentary distraction was all that was needed, as Derek roared, filling the area with a sandstorm and blocking the Dragonite's view. "A-Argh, what the fuck?! Derek! Please, I don't want to die!"

Number 17 ignored that. His prey was in a perfect position for a strike, and he wanted to end that pathetic struggle. Aster was panting, looking all around in an attempt to find where the next move would come from. His heart was palpitating and he trembled.

"And now, for the next step!" Derek thought, a grin spreading on his face. His claws dripped with a purple poison and he slashed the air, throwing it into the Dragonite.

Aster screamed, falling to the ground. He felt his body ache in pain, the toxins corroding the orange scales he possessed. Despite his efforts, the Dragonite couldn't move. Panic set itself in his brain as he frantically tried to get out of whatever that place was.

A voice spoke from the radio, followed by the sound of claps. "Well done, number 17! I'm impressed!"

"Thank you, boss!" Derek laughed, enjoying every bit of that hunt.

Aster got worse. His breathing was slowing down, the venom was killing him, and to add insult to injury, he couldn't do anything to stop it.

"I do wish you could have done this faster, perhaps it is time for the big finale?"

"I agree, doctor Morgan…" Derek approached the Dragonite and, in a single slash, finished the job.

* * *

Derek left the arena, taking some of the sand off his body. Another fight well done. Right in front of him was a Gallade, who stared at the Garchomp with a faint smile, a notebook in his hand.

"I have to admit, my work seems to be complete," Morgan spoke. "And it only took seventeen test subjects!"

"Am I really a subject if I'm doing it willingly?" Derek grinned, walking alongside Morgan.

"Of all the seventeen, you have the most potential for me," the Gallade grinned, checking a few notes he had. "You used to be the second, but I can tell you've grown a lot!"

"Second…?" The Garchomp frowned. "Who was the first?"

"A Riolu, but in the end, he wasn't good enough. Oh well. I doubt he is even alive anymore."

"Gotcha. What is our next step then, doctor?"

Morgan stopped and smiled, the expression of pure joy. The question was one he was hoping to get, so he could answer it properly.

"Now that I have successfully recreated Mega Evolution on this primitive world… Time to make our preparations. We are going to visit a certain tree…"


	21. Special Episode 1 - Puppy Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, an special episode! Obviously inspired by EoS, I decided to make one chapter filled with fluff, so guess what, you'll be able to read it with no trigger warnings! Hopefully you'll enjoy it. If you do, please review.

Lance woke up with a yawn. The sun's rays were beaming down at his face,, which interrupted his sleep. He rubbed his eyes, and when he tried to get up, he felt pressure on his stomach. Looking down, he saw an Electrike, sleeping on his chest.

"Blitz…" The Riolu smiled, caressing the other Pokémon's head.

Blitz snored, distracted by the dream he was having. The Riolu thought that was cute, smiling, and wagging his tail on the bed.

"HEY, YOU TWO LUVDISCS! DAD SAID TO WAKE UP!" Brian barged into the room, smirking at the couple. He left, laughing to himself.

The Electrike's first reaction was to gasp at the sudden noise. After that initial shock, he looked at Lance, grinning.

"Oh right, we have one of the test missions from the guild, right?" Blitz smiled, stretching his body.

"Yup! And… Sorry for that, it's on the same day as our date," Lance sighed, his ears dropping.

"Don't worry, Lanny! I love the time we spend together!" Blitz gave a toothy grin to his lover. "I mean, we slept in the same room! This is amazing! I can't believe-"

Lance interrupted that by giving his boyfriend a deep kiss. "I love you so much, you have no idea how happy you make me."

Blitz blushed but kept his grin. "Well, you are the one that asked me out."

"Hehe," Lance smirked. "Well, let's have breakfast!"

* * *

The couple climbed down the stairs, going to the kitchen. On the way, the Electrike kept nuzzling Lance's legs, which made him blush in embarrassment. Ever since they started dating, they both were very affectionate with one another, especially Blitz.

"Y-You really shouldn't be doing all this in public…" Lance said, sitting on a chair.

"Sorry! I just can't when you're this cute!" Blitz answered, jumping into one of the chairs.

On the table, they could see a pile of pancakes, freshly cooked, as steam rose out of them. Brian was already munching on his, not even paying attention to the couple. Lance noted that his father wasn't present and frowned. "Where's dad? You said he called us here."

"Oh, heya Lance!" Brian grinned. "Dad went to the guild, and you're both supposed to go there!"

"Huh, weird thing, to ask us specifically," Blitz sighed, eating some of the pancakes.

"I think I know why, Sparky," Lance nodded, looking at his significant other. "But let's focus on breakfast for now."

Blitz wagged his tail and resumed his meal. All those moments with Lance were precious to him, and he wanted to enjoy them as much as he could.

After the duo finished their breakfast, both left the house. The wind blew on that summer day, the citizens of Thornwell chatted amongst themselves, while the couple was walking towards the guild that they could see in the distance.

"I can't believe we've been dating for nearly a year…" Lance said, petting Blitz on his head.

"Yup! That day at the guild, I cherish it so much!" Blitz's eyes were sparkling in excitement as he remembered the day both started dating.

"Well, I don't even know how I managed to talk to you that day…" Lance blushed, looking away.

"Haha! You were so nervous when you asked me out!" Blitz grinned, puffing his chest. "By the way, do you know what's coming next?"

"What?"

"Your birthday, Lanny!" Blitz chuckled.

Lance gasped. Of course, his fifteenth birthday! How could he forget? But that made him curious about something. "Well, what's my present going to be then?"

To that, Blitz gave a large, toothy grin. "That's something you're gonna find out in the future~"

Both passed by the market street, going to the Kecleon's store. Lance bought an apple and walked away, eating it. Blitz, on the other hand, just watched, smiling.

* * *

And so, they finally arrived at the guild. The Hero guild's interior was divided, with the left corridor leading to the dorms, and the right, to the cafeteria, alongside the training area. At the middle of the hall were stairs that lead to the second floor, where the guildmaster's office was located.

The guild was lively, Pokémon going back and forth between different areas of the guild. But the couple ignored that, climbing the stairs. When they arrived on the second floor, Lance knocked on the office's door.

"Dad, it's me! We're here!" He said.

The door unlocked, and the duo went inside.

Nick was standing up, looking at both of them with a smile. The Lucario extended his paw to his son, and Lance shook it.

"Good morning, son," Nick said and looked at Blitz. "For you as well, did you have a good sleep?"

"Yes, sir! A wonderful night, actually!"

"That's great! I must thank you, for making my son so happy," Nick kneeled, rubbing the Electrike's head. "Anyone that does so has a place on my heart."

"Dad," Lance blushed and crossed his arms. "We came here to check our mission since you asked for us."

Nick twitched his ears and stood up. "Right. There have been reports about a Bibarel running around in the night, stealing food from the Kecleon brothers."

"Oh, that's not… Good at all! Do you have any leads?" Blitz questioned, sitting on the floor.

The Lucario went to his desk, grabbing a paper. On the document was a drawing of the Bibarel, alongside the reward for his capture. Lance grabbed the paper, staring at it.

"I see," he said. "You called us because, being a Fighting-type and Electric-type, we have an advantage over that Bibarel, correct?"

Nick chuckled. His son was analytical as usual. "Yes, that's the reason, think of it as a test for your training. Can I count on you?"

Blitz wagged his tail and nodded. He was excited to go on that mission with his boyfriend and hoped that everything would be alright.

"Of course!" Lance grinned, looking at Blitz. "We'll fulfill this mission with a perfect score, dad."

Nick sat on his chair, smiling. He trusted the duo to get it right, and with that, Lance and Blitz left the guild.

* * *

The first place they should go to was, obviously, the Kecleon store. With that in mind, the couple also needed to plan how they would approach that situation. Lance scratched his chin, thinking about the plan.

"I think it should be easy," Blitz sighed. "Like, the Kecleon are the ones asking for our help, we don't really need to interrogate them."

"Yes, I'm aware," Lance tapped his foot on the ground, mind filled with ideas. "However, we do need to ask them questions, since they could have leads."

"Gotcha, Lanny!" Blitz chuckled to himself. The Riolu was always like this, but he loved him anyway.

"Let's go, Sparky!" Lance darted to the street they were previously in.

* * *

Now back at the market, the lovers went straight to the store. One of the vendors waved to them as they got near. The green Kecleon had an angry face, as he knew why the trainees were there.

"I'll tell yuh! Dat Bibarel's a menace! Okay? It stole all our food!"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard about it, mister Clay," Lance shrugged. "Regardless, we need to ask you a couple of questions."

"Please do your job!" The purple Kecleon said, slamming the table. "We can't wawhk wit'out our supplies!"

"Alright, mister Spectra! But we need to question you both!" Blitz snarled a fizzle of electricity on his body.

Both the Kecleon stopped screaming, listening to what both of the explorers had to say. Lance sighed, taking the paper. He began by asking where they first saw the Bibarel, to which Clay answered: "It was around midnight, where I saw it munchin' on our apples!"

"We den scared it off, and repawhted it tuh de guild! But it kept comin' back!" Spectra grumbled, already annoyed by that question.

"I think it's a wild Pokémon," Lance was writing on a notebook. "Did it say anything, or…"

"Dat ting just screeched, I doubt it has any sapience at all," Spectra pondered, remembering the encounters.

"Got it!" Blitz laughed. "Lanny, we have to plan a hunt for it, right?!"

"Pretty much," the Electrike's boyfriend nodded. "Mister Clay, we'll figure this out for you, alright?"

"Yuh bettuh, otherwise we're gonna go bankrupt!"

The couple agreed, leaving that store with a new plan. They needed to lure the feral in with food and knock it out. The next step should be getting the wild one back to the forest. Lance chuckled, he had everything planned out.

* * *

They decided to wait until midnight. Because of that, Lance and Blitz were enjoying their date, and were now at a famous restaurant that served ice cream, named "Barry's berry ice cream".

The place was crowded, and there were menus on the walls, filled with flavors that they didn't even know existed before now. Many canisters of ice cream sat inside a glass case, forming a rainbow of deliciousness.

There weren't many seats or tables in the establishment, but the few that were there seemed to be well-maintained, free of any stains. Barry, a Beartic, was talking to his employees, urging them to prepare the dessert for the couple that was waiting on a chair.

"This is good… Blitz, how did you even find this place?" Lance looked around, checking every detail.

"My parents brought me here last week! And I thought about our date!" Blitz kissed Lance on his cheek.

"What flavor did you ask, Sparky?" Lance blushed, looking at the sides. He couldn't help but wag his tail.

The owner of the restaurant approached them, carrying two bowls on each of his paws. The left bowl contained blue-colored ice cream, while the other was yellow, and it had gummies sprinkled on top of it.

"An Orrran and Sitrrrus ice crrream forrr this dearrr kouple," the Ice-type said. "Anything else forrr you?"

"I don't think so, mister," Lance agreed.

"Verrry well, if you want anything else, feel frrree to kall me," Barry said, leaving the two alone.

"Sooo! Now it's time for us to eat, Lanny!" Blitz nodded, grabbing a spoon.

He began to eat, and in an instant, his mouth was filled with flavors. The gummies he ate were yellow and tasted sour, making him cringe a little, but he kept eating it. Blitz was always a fan of sour sweets.

Lance, on the other hand, ate his Oran ice cream slowly, savoring every bit of it. It tasted sweet and gave him a feeling of relaxation, not only because he liked the food, but also because his boyfriend was there with him. Blitz was just eating, but Lance couldn't stop staring at that, he always enjoyed seeing his partner, even at the most mundane moments.

"Blitz… Did I tell you that I'm thankful for being with me?" Lance asked, gazing directly at his lover's eyes. The eyes that he found himself drawn to.

The Electrike noted that and blushed. "I-I… No, but… I'm thankful as well. Lance, I love you."

They finished the meal, staring at one another's eyes, and kissed. For that one moment, time seemed to be standing still, nothing was moving except them in that display of affection, and neither wanted it to stop. But eventually, both got out, drool on their mouths. Lance took a napkin, cleaning himself, and with another, cleaned Blitz's mouth.

"This… was really nice, Blitz. But to be fair, it tasted too sour for me!" Lance laughed, rubbing his head.

"And yours was sweet! Haha…"

"So… What now? Should we make preparations or can we relax for a little longer?"

Lance checked the clock. 8 PM. Good, he still had a few more hours to enjoy the date. "I guess it won't hurt for us to relax."

"YES! It's the answer I was waiting for!" Blitz wagged his tail even harder. "Okay, where do you wanna go?"

"I… Have an idea, Sparky," Lance said with a grin. He got up, paying the Beartic for the dessert, and left with Blitz.

* * *

The teenagers were now heading towards a different store that had a large sign with a Mimikyu drawing on it, that read "Mira's costumes shop".

As they got inside, the first thing they saw was a line of suits, based on different Pokémon. Blitz set his eyes on a Zacian costume, complete with a crown and a toy sword.

"Lance! Oh my, I love this!" He said, barely able to contain himself and try on every suit.

"Ah, what a pleasure to see such happy customers!" A Mimikyu said, walking towards the duo. "Hello, I am Mira, how can I help you?"

"Good night. I'm Lance, and this is my boyfriend, Blitz!" He said, pointing to the quadruped Pokémon.

"Heya miss!" Blitz continued, nodding with his head.

"We're here because I want to buy a gift, Blitz once mentioned to me that he would love to dress up as Zacian during Halloween, so…"

"Ah, darling, that's so sweet!" Mira clapped her ghostly hands. "Very well, feel free to take a look around, and whenever you're done, let me know!"

She left, going back to the counter, and began to read a book. Blitz then darted, checking every suit he could see, before deciding on the Zacian one. He went into one of the changing rooms and put it on. Once he was done, he got out, showing it to Lance.

"Look at me!" Blitz said with a sense of pride, grinning.

"Y-You…" Lance struggled to form the words, mesmerized by that view. "You're beautiful…"

Blitz blushed, covering his face. "O-Of course, you're handsome too, y'know?!"

"Alright, Sparky," Lance smiled, extending both of his paws. "Here, let me help you up."

Lance held his partner's front paws, lifting him. They were both standing up, and the Riolu hugged his boyfriend with all the strength he had. After all that Lance went through, having someone for him felt amazing, and he didn't want it to stop.

"Lance… I think we need to go to the mission now, don't you think?" He said, embracing the Riolu.

"Y-Yes, sorry. Got carried away."

* * *

After paying for the suit, they were now ready for the mission. All that was left is luring that Bibarel. To do that, they went to another store and bought a few apples. And so, they were now right behind the Kecleons' shop. Lance hid in a bush, alongside Blitz, the apples right in front of them.

"Sparky, it should appear any second now," the Riolu was focused, using his aura powers to try and check when the Bibarel would show up.

Coming from the woods, the Bibarel indeed appeared, sniffing around, and once it smelled the apples, went running towards the food.

The wild Pokémon then received an electric discharge all around its body and laid down on the ground, paralyzed.

"Hooray! We did it, Lanny!" Blitz said, coming out of the bushes.

The Bibarel stood up, and curled his body like a boulder, attempting to ram against Blitz. Before it could do that, however, Lance appeared, releasing a blue energy beam from his hand.

"Force Palm," he thought, throwing the Bibarel away.

"Thanks, Lanny!" Blitz sighed in relief, looking at their enemy, who stood up, despite the Thunder Wave from before paralyzing it.

"What do you say we give it a taste of our special attack?" Lance grinned.

"Our…? Oh, I know!" Blitz prepared to strike, electrical sparks surrounding his body.

Lance smirked and ran towards the Bibarel, one of the Riolu's paws charging with energy. The feral screeched, curving itself into a ball and charging against Lance.

"My main move… Force Palm!" Lance shot the beam at the ground, making him float for a few seconds, where he aimed at his enemy, letting the attack hit it.

The wild Pokémon received the strike, rolling around, when suddenly, it got hit by another one, this time, a blue electric beam, knocking it out.

"Phew! We did it!" Blitz sighed in relief, laying down on the ground.

"Indeed. But we still need to return it to the wild."

"Let's transport this Bibarel to the guild, your dad will know what to do!"

Lance put the Bibarel on his back with some difficulty, walking away alongside the Electrike.

* * *

After all of that, the two were once again at Lance's house, this time, having dinner, despite being well past midnight. They were eating an apple pie, and talking to themselves about their day.

"This was amazing, Sparky…" Lance nodded.

"Indeed," Blitz ate another bite of the pie, wagging his tail. "Your dad is such a good cook!"

"Yeah, I know," he smiled. "Question. You're gonna sleep here again?"

"Sure, why not? Or should I say… Wynaut?" the Electric-type grinned, laughing for a bit.

"…You're the only one that can tell me puns. You know that, right? My boyfriend, my partner…" The Riolu smiled, maybe there was hope he could be happy, despite all his trauma.

"Indeed. I love you, so, so much Lance… Never forget that!"

They put the plates in the sink, climbing the stairs to Lance's room. Both of them didn't say anything on the way, as words were not needed for that moment, only the tender feelings they were having, and that they hoped would go on forever.


	22. Dungeon 21 - Hug all your friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new beginning for our protagonists, as they are thrown into another conspiracy. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Anyway, let's go.

Brian and Lance had different opinions about parties. For the first, they were incredible, and the Zoroark always had fun with them, talking to everyone and drinking. His brother, on the other hand, preferred much more to stay in the comfort of his room, reading a good book, without anyone to disturb that moment. Unfortunately, for him, that was not happening.

_I really hate this,_ Lance thought while a rain of confetti exploded on his face. With a sigh, the Lucario removed the papers from his fur.

"Cheer up!" Brian gave Lance a light slap on the shoulder, which growled for him. "Take off that grumpy face! It's our anniversary, damn it!"

In the brothers' apartment, a big party was happening in celebration of their seventeenth birthday. In the kitchen there was a fruit cake, half of it was already missing, and on the stove, a shiny Gardevoir was baking some cupcakes. Nick, the boys' father, watched her carefully.

"This is a waste of time," Lance sighed, taking more confetti out of his hair.

"You do you!" The Zoroark shouted, drinking a whole glass of beer. "Let's fucking gooooo!"

The Lucario just went to the kitchen, sitting down and eating another slice of dessert. The Gardevoir accompanied him, smiling at him.

"Dear, congratulations. I wish you hadn't moved, but... I think I'm fine with it now."

"Thanks, Mom," Lance looked at her, his face reddening. "How are things at Thornwell?"

"The usual. Missions and more missions," Nick said, approaching his son. "But I could take some time to see you two."

"Thanks, Dad!" Brian lifted a glass of beer, taking it in one sip.

"You shouldn't even be drinking, Brian. You're only 17!" the female sighed in frustration.

"Amelia, it's their day. They deserve a rest after all the hard work they've done," Nick nodded.

"I appreciate it, Dad," Lance sighed, getting up. "Listen, I need to... work some things out, then I'll be back."

The Lucario left the house in silence.

* * *

Meggie had also attended the party but decided to stay outside, eating her piece of cake. Lance approached with a sigh. The thought of listening to Brian talking non-stop made the Lucario prefer to accompany the recruit.

"Hi, Meg. I hope you don't mind me here."

"Hm?" The Snorunt turned her gaze to Lance and smiled. "Ah, of course not. How are you? A year older must be a good thing for someone who knows his own age."

"Not exactly, but whatever. How about you? Six months here must be hard for you."

Meggie sighed, that Lucario was too direct for her taste.

"It's very strange, but I think I understand how this body works!" She said with a smile.

"Good... Listen, I really don't want to stay here, so what do you think about us taking a walk in the city?"

Meggie blushed, moving away from him. The Snorunt thought about what to say and moved her head as if she had hair.

"Hm, right at your birthday you ask to go out?"

"H-Huh?! Not like that!" Lance looked away, his tail swishing around. "Listen, I need to take a walk, and I don't want to do it alone!"

"Hihihi, I was just playing with you, silly. But I accept, shall we?" Meggie walked towards the stairs, happy to have made that grumpy Lucario embarrassed.

* * *

Now on one of the streets of Bright Dawn, the two were walking without any concern in the world, just talking to each other.

Lance didn't want to admit it, but he was loving the company of Snorunt, who looked at everything with her eyes shining; even after six months, she still found that place impressive, with all the valves and mechanical buildings, the only part Meggie didn't like was the steam from the factories in the background, which made her cough from time to time.

The sun was shining in the sky, it was already afternoon and with that several Pokémon went and returned to their activities.

"Well, where do you want to go? I was thinking of buying some Slowpoke tails in the street, they can be very good when prepared properly," Lance pointed to a tent with a Charmeleon on it.

"Wow, food, don't you think that's kind of cliché?" The Snorunt smiled, teasing him again.

"Meggie, stop teasing me," he sighed, taking a deep breath.

"If you say so," she shrugged.

"Whatever, what do you want… Meggie?"

She was already running to eat the tent, and Lance went right after her. The two of them stopped in front of the tent, and Charmeleon looked at them with a smile.

"Good morning, gentlemon. What would you like to buy? We have Slowpoke tail, Tauros steak, and even Magikarp steak if you want!"

Meggie pondered. "Tauros meat!"

"I want some Slowpoke tails," Lance nodded, crossing his arms.

The Charmeleon smiled with his teeth out and took a stick, putting the steak pieces inside. Then he released a puff of flames, controlling the fire so it wouldn't burn the wood. After finishing, he delivered to the two Pokémon.

"Thank you, sir," the Lucario paid for the skewers and left with Meggie.

While they were walking, they kept talking to each other. It was a quiet day, and more important than that, a break, after some missions last week, Lance needed a rest.

"There's something I want to know! It's about you and your brother!" Meggie said with a smile on her face, taking a bite out of the meat.

"Feel free to ask, as long as it's not... A very personal question."

"If your mother is a Gardevoir, how do you and your brother—"

"She is our stepmother," Lance shrugged. "And a psychiatrist. Dad hired her after some things that happened with me and Brian, and he thought it was necessary for our mental health. In the end, they got married."

"I understand. I'm sorry if... It's a delicate matter."

"No problem, Meg. I like your company, to be honest."

Meggie gave a big smile after hearing about Lucario. Even though he was moody, it seems that he also had a good side to him.

"It's ok! Another thing, hmm, you and Brian are the same age? Are you twins?"

"Dad said it was a miracle. And... Before you ask, me being a Riolu was also rare. Few pregnancies result in a Pokémon of the father's species," Lance looked away. "Unfortunately, I never met my biological mother."

"If it makes you feel better, I don't know anything about mine either," Meggie bent her head down, not knowing how to react properly.

"We seem to have that in common, I guess," Lance said with a smile.

The Snorunt's chin almost fell off. A smile, really? She couldn't believe she'd pulled that stunt.

Lance and Meggie decided to stop in a square, one of the few places that had trees in that city, and because of that, the Lucario decided to go there with his teammate, sitting on one of the benches. The Snorunt had finished her meal, throwing the stick in the trash; Lance, on the other hand, was looking up, as if he was distracted by something.

"Lance… Is everything okay?" She looked at him, trying in vain to get him to talk.

Meggie had realized something was wrong. Although she was joking about his request, Snorunt had the impression he wanted to get away from his family. Deciding to confront him, Meggie took the courage to ask.

"LANCE!" she pushed the Lucario with all her might, screaming to get his attention.

That worked; Lance turned his gaze to her, panting. Whatever was in his head was gone now.

"S-Sorry. Got something on my mind."

"All right, I understand. But I asked a question, are you okay?" Meggie leaned her hand on Lance's paw, looking at him.

Lance quickly moved away, thinking about what to answer, as he didn't want to ruin that afternoon.

"I don't like my birthday very much for a while now," He shrugged. "It's complicated, but I'm trying to solve my social interaction problems.

"And you think running away from your birthday party will help that?! Lance, if you want to change, you need to act!"

"I am, I'm with you all afternoon!"

"Yes, but they are your family! They love you and care about you! Don't you think you should stay with them instead of a human you've known for a short time?!"

"I…" Lance lowered his ears, trembling. "I'm sorry, there's so much stuff going on… I had another nightmare."

Meggie touched the Lucario's hand again, but this time he didn't back down. Instead, the two were gazing at each other, as the wind blew in the air.

"Thanks... for letting me vent, Meggie."

"And I thank you for letting me into your team," the Snorunt looked at the square, watching all the Pokémon in that place. "I'm in an unknown world, with no idea who I am, but now I have friends."

"Friends, yes," Lance smiled.

"And so I can tell you that… You can count on me! If you need anything, I'm here for you."

Lance, without giving any warning, hugged the Snorunt tightly, his body was shaking from holding his feelings so much during that day. He took care not to hurt the female with the spike in his chest.

Meggie gasped, but accepted that gesture, understanding that the Lucario needed it.

After a few minutes, they separated. Lance seemed to calm down and was now blushing.

"I think… I'm ready to go home now, what do you think of that?"

"I don't see any problems…"

The two were interrupted by a cry for help. Surprised by that, they both ran in the direction of the noise.

* * *

Already at the exit of the park, the two stopped to see what seemed to be a hostage situation.

On one side, an orange Lycanroc and a red one were with a Mawile, who was wearing a collar on her neck, with a small stone on it. On the other, a Dewott, next to an Arcanine, both wearing the insignia of the local police. Between them were some stones, serving as a barrier.

"Apollo!" Lance screamed, already on the detective's side.

"Kid! By Arceus, it's been a while since we saw each other!" The Fire-type looked at the Lucario, tail wagging slowly.

"What's the situation?!" Meggie stopped, panting. Her small body tired easily.

"They're taking that Mawile hostage," the Dewott said, his body sweating.

"Jack's right. We believe those Lycanroc are involved with a trafficking ring, we've managed to follow them here, but we can't do much right now."

"Copy that," Lance sighed, analyzing that area.

Any movement Lucario made could call the dogs' attention and put Mawile in danger, and that collar made him nervous, memories appearing in his mind like a waterfall of emotions.

"Let's see if we can negotiate with them. I have a plan," Lance crossed his arms.

Apollo nodded and approached the barrier. He shouted to call the criminals' attention, and the red Lycanroc was the one who came closest to the rocks.

"Mr. Lunick. I would like to ask for your cooperation. What do you want in exchange for the hostage?"

"Ah, that part!" The wolf licked his lips, excited. He held a device with a button. "Okay, hehe! How about a kiss?"

"Lunick! We don't have time for this!" The second Lycanroc shouted loudly, growling at his companion.

"Sirius, little brother, let me do things here! I'm great at negotiations…"

"No, you're not!" Sirius approached his partner.

It was the opportunity Lance was looking for. He jumped, carrying an Aura Sphere in his hand, and shot it between the two enemy Pokémon, who reacted by crawling, so that the blow wouldn't hit them. Now, Lance was in front of the hostage, looking directly at the other two.

"Ouch! What the fuck was that?!" Lunick stood up and, when he saw Lucario, he gave a broad smile. "Boy, our lucky day! The boss asked us to take a Lucario!"

He shuddered at the mention of being taken. That and the collar were like knives inside the boy's body, and he vividly remembered what he had been through in his childhood; Lance wondered if those two had any connection to that Gallade.

"Lunick, you idiot! Now he's got four against both of us! Outside that two of them have the advantage!" The Lycanroc Dusk roared, preparing to go into combat if necessary.

_N-No! Shit... Easy Lance, easy!_ The Lucario's head was filled with thoughts, he couldn't do anything but shake when he remembered the past.

The Lucario's distraction was perfect for Lunick, who punched the ground, and under Lance, a wave of brown energy appeared, colliding with him. Lance was hit, eyes bulging as he screamed in pain. The explorer stood up, panting.

"All right, it's time for our team to act!" Meggie took the lead, putting a tiara on her head. "Mr. Detective, please, could you evacuate the area? Lance and I will take care of these two idiots."

The Arcanine and Dewott left, leaving the hard work to the explorers. Meggie had a smile on her face, ready for the fight. However, Lance was still shaking in his panic attack.

"A Snorunt thinks she can beat us, how hilarious!" Lunick laughed, his hands shining with a blue dragonic energy. "Bring it on!"

"Hmph, we'll see!" Meggie's hands shone, and a Water Pulse was launched in Lunick's direction.

The Lycanroc swerved with a jump and was getting ready to stick his claws into Snorunt when he was struck by what seemed to be another aura blow, throwing him to the ground.

"She… She's right. I can't just stand by. Kidnapping other Pokémon?" Lance now faced the two bandits, his hands crackling with aura.

"Lance, time to show our teamwork!" Meggie laughed.

Team Liberators was facing their enemies, and behind the explorers, Mawile was panicking, she wanted to escape, but was afraid of what would happen if she did that. Sirius noticed that; a little smile appeared on his face.

"Lunick, I think we will need our weapon," he said to his brother, who was getting up.

"Hehe, watch this thing!" Lunick grabbed a device from his backpack by pressing a button.

Behind Lance, the Mawile screamed in pain, and he looked back. The female's body shone and began to change shape, her mouths split in half. The glow broke apart; the now Mega Mawile was looking directly at Lance. She screamed, running towards the Lucario…


	23. Dungeon 22 - Team Rebirth

Lance could barely react to the transformation; when the Mawile opened her mouth, releasing a gust of pink wind. The Lucario gasped and moved away to avoid being hit. Despite all that, he kept his gaze on the female.

The explorer kept a frown and looked at the Lycanroc. "W-What is this monstrosity?! Just… What did you do to her?!"

The Mega Mawile roared, and moved her two large mouths to attack; she got hit by a ball of pulsating water, yet the Pokémon barely moved, her eyes had a piercing glare as she looked in the direction of the attack.

The Snorunt screamed to her companion. "Lance, I don't think we have time for this!" Meggie was charging another Water Pulse, when the Mega Mawile ran after her, and both got away from Lance and the Lycanroc.

"Guess that lady is correct!" the Midnight Lycanroc laughed, jumping with his claws enveloped in blue, draconic energy.

"Y-You…" Lance held his paws together and created an Aura Sphere to hold off the attack.

The Fighting-type grunted, but eventually was able to push his enemy away. After that, he panted.

"Haha! Lucario, this is gonna be fun!" the Lycanroc licked his lips, darting; or rather, running in all fours, towards Lance.

* * *

Meggie ran away from the exit, her opponent right behind, shooting more of the fairy wind. Thanks to her small stature, the Snorunt was able to dodge most of the attacks, and was now hiding behind a tree.

_Y-Yes! I escaped, now if only she stopped attacking…_

She sighed, and took a peek around: no signs of the Mawile. Now thinking it was safe to come out, Meggie left.

The first thing that she noticed was something rough and rocky crashing against her in the blink of an eye, launching Meggie upward, and the second one was a stream of flames covering her body; both of the effective attacks causing the Snorunt to scream as she felt her body ache and crack, falling to the ground.

Alongside her were the orange Lycanroc, who just finished using his Accelerock move, alongside the Mega Mawile, smoke leaving her mouth.

"Well done, Amy. Flamethrower was a good choice of move," the wolf nodded, looking at the Snorunt on the floor.

He jumped, tail glowing in a silver, metallic tone, and prepared to strike Meggie, when his tail got hit by a fast and precise kick, throwing the Lycanroc against a tree.

"Hope ya don't mind the help, darling!"

A Lopunny arrived to stop the move, landing on the floor with grace. The bunny wore a purse with a rescue team badge on it, strapped around her shoulder. The Mawile stopped, as if she was waiting for orders to attack.

"What a weird one…" the bunny took out one seed, and carefully inserted it into Meggie's mouth.

The Snorunt gasped awake as she ate the seed, eyes darting around. Meggie stared at the Lopunny and backed away, panting.

"Hey, hey lady! I'm here to help ya!" the bunny showed her badge, and Meggie stopped running, getting up.

"W-Who are you?!" The Snorunt said.

"Lilith, and like I said, gonna help ya take down those thugs!"

* * *

Lance dodged every move the Lycanroc was trying to hit. The Lucario's eyes glowed blue and he analyzed the aura his enemy was radiating. He growled, preparing another sphere.

"Hahaha! If you keep dodgin', I'm gonna be mad, Lucario! At least let me hit one Dual Chop!" the wolf smirked, his hands glowing in draconic energy once more.

"Shut your mouth…" Lance ran, launching the attack.

Somehow, the move did not hit, instead, it seemed to be going further away, which made Lance back away in shock; on the other hand, the wolf rushed towards his opponent to hit him with the Dual Chop.

However, the previous Aura Sphere returned, hitting the canine on his back, cancelling his move and making him fall to the ground head first.

"…Pathetic," Lance said, approaching his enemy with a smirk; his plan had worked wonders. "My aura training wasn't for nothing."

"Y-You piece of shit!" the Lycanroc lifted his head, only to see the Lucario's paw in front of him, glowing with a metallic hue.

"If you don't want to be hit by a point-blank Flash Canon, I suggest you answer my questions, Lycanroc. No… Lunick, correct?"

"H-Hey! Hey! It's alright! I'll answer you!"

* * *

Inside the park, Lilith's feet glowed red, and she tried to kick the Lycanroc, but before the attack could land, the wolf collided against Lilith, launching her across the floor.

On the other side, Meggie threw herself, curving like a ball, to hit the Mawile; only for her to be hit by yet another Fairy Wind.

"A-Argh! Why is this so difficult?!" Meggie screamed in pain as she was sent to the ground.

She got up, checking her surroundings. Full of trees. Despite the failure of using Rollout before, the Snorunt smirked, having thought of a plan.

"Let's do this…" Meggie took a deep breath, rolling once again. This time, however, she charged another Water Pulse.

The combined attack was a water spin, hitting the Mawile and making her scream in pain. After the move, Meggie landed on the ground, panting. Even with that effort, the Mawile was still conscious, and if her expression was any indication, very angry, to the point of growling.

"It worked," she said, looking at her opponent's body, wet by the previous move.

The Mawile charged against Meggie, trying to hit her, a giant and white ball of metallic energy had formed around the Mawile's face.

 _If I'm gonna do it, it's gotta be now!_ Meggie released a stream of cold wind, shutting her eyes; she could only hope for the best.

After a few moments, Meggie opened her eyes, seeing the result of her attack: the Mawile's body was half-frozen, meaning that Meggie's opponent could barely move. The Snorunt took a deep breath and crashed, using the Rollout attack again, making the Mawile scream in pain as she got hit, knocking her out.

"I-I did it?! I did it!" Meggie cheered, but her moment of happiness was cut short, as she heard snarling, turning around.

Behind the Snorunt was her other adversary, the Dusk Lycanroc. She backed away, fear beginning to set itself inside her body.

"O-Oh no, I'm not a fighter, why did I agree to this?! I just wanna go home!"

"D-Don't give up!" Lilith woke up, firing a thunderbolt at the wolf, who yelped, feeling the electricity crackle inside his body.

"Not give up… You're right! I need to find my answer!" Meggie screamed, her will to battle returning.

"You will be dead before any of that happens!" The wolf barked and ran towards Meggie, his body glowing to indicate the Accelerock move.

Meggie got hit again, cringing and gritting her teeth, but that's when she realized the opportunity. While the Lycanroc was near her, she charged another Water Pulse, launching it.

"Lilith! The answer… Is in… The trees! NOW"

At that point it was impossible for the canine to dodge, and he got sent vertically. Lilith stood up, watching that happen with a grin, having understood Meggie's plan.

The Lopunny jumped into the trunk of a tree and, with a heavy stomp, dashed towards the Lycanroc, hitting him with a Jump Kick, sending the wolf crashing on the ground.

"W-Whoa! I was thinking that you were gonna do something else entirely!" Meggie grinned, watching as the bunny landed.

"That was a very good plan!" She gave the Snorunt a thumbs-up.

Suddenly, both of them heard a panting sound. Despite all the attacks, the Lycanroc was still standing, albeit he was severely hurt, feeling stings all over his body due to the effective moves.

"I… I… Sirius, calm down! This is nothing!" He said to himself, body trembling.

"This battle is over, Lycanroc!" Lilith prepared to strike another Thunderbolt, her eyes showed no emotion.

"N-NO!" The canine growled and, using the last of his strength, ran away with his Accelerock.

* * *

Lance stood still, Flash Canon ready to fire on his paw, just waiting for any wrong move by the red Lycanroc, who was terrified of that Lucario, wishing to go away as soon as possible.

"O-Okay, okay! What do you wanna know?!" Lunick gasped, heart racing.

Lance could sense the wolf's aura of fear, and smirked. "The usual. Who do you work for?! What did you do to that Mawile?!"

"I-I work for Morgan, he's a scientist! And a very good one at that, makin' Mega Evolution and all!"

"Mega what? You're not making any sense," Lance frowned, and drew the steel attack closer. "Spill it."

"M-Mega Evolution! One type of evolution that Morgan discovered! I-I don't know the process!"

At that point, Lance was trying his best to not blast the Lycanroc. Something about his words seemed familiar to him, that, coupled with the strange collar the Mawile was wearing, made Lance begin to sweat.

"Who's this… Morgan?" Lance asked, raising an nonexistent eyebrow.

"H-He's a Gallade!"

Lance blinked, and it all came to him. The reason for his kidnapping, and the one Pokémon that did it. Lance backed away, shivering, making his Flash Canon fade away. Lunick grinned, punching the Lucario in his stomach with his fist coated in electricity. "That's for being a prick!"

"D-Dad…" Lance didn't do anything, falling to his knees, the smell of burning fur filled the air.

"Shut ya mouth!" The Lycanroc punched him again, making Lance fall to the floor.

Grinning, Lunick began to kick his opponent several times, all the while laughing like a lunatic. Lance was unable to move, too occupied with thoughts about his captive days to even bother to react to the assault; it was as if in that moment, Lance was that small, defenseless Riolu again. That alone made Lance panic again, to the point where he began crying.

Lunick charged another Thunder Punch. "Haha! Ya know, once I'm done here… I might just make that little Snorunt a snack!"

"Don't hurt my friend…" Lance snarled, snapping out of the panic and firing a point-blank Aura Sphere into his opponent, sending him away.

The explorer got up, panting, his mind was still filled with the memories, but Lance wanted to focus on the battle. He prepared two other spheres on both hands, but stopped when he heard a running noise to his side. Sirius had just gotten there with his Accelerock, and jumped to the red Lycanroc's side.

"H-Hey bro! Nice to see ya! A little help?!" Lunick smirked, turning around so his sibling could grab an item in the bag.

"Lunick, you're as useless as always…"

"I feel like you're forgetting me here," Lance said, firing the blue spheres at his opponents, but before they could be hit, they vanished in a white glow.

The Lucario blinked. A Warp Orb, that was it. Growling, he sighed; searching for their aura in a big city like this would be near impossible.

"Laaaaance!"

He turned around to see Meggie and the Lopunny. Not recognizing the latter, Lance crossed his arms, back to his stoic look.

"Meggie," he said. "It's good to see you. You… Ran off in the middle of the fight, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, the plan was to lure the Mawile away from you, so I did!"

"Right," Lance turned to look at the bunny. "And you are?"

"Lopunny, a member of Team Rebirth," she nodded. "And I helped your friend here, so I'd say thanks."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Lucario," Lilith said. "Regardless, where are the Lycanrocs?"

"Warped away," Lance sighed.

"On the bright side, we saved that Mawile! Even though she was trying to kill us…" Meggie smiled, but then looked down.

"Yes. About that. Do any of you know what this is?" The Lopunny took out a rainbow-colored stone, in the shape of a raindrop.

"It's an Emera, but what's with the color? I never saw anything like it," Lance took a moment to check the stone, which to him, was radiating a very strong aura.

"My team and I found this during one of our latest rescues, and that Mawile also had one. Apparently, it induces some type of—"

"Evolution," Lance completed the sentence. "I never even heard of this before, that's weird…"

Meggie was staring at the Emera. Something about its capabilities of evolution was familiar to her, but the former human couldn't remember it.

"You say you found this before? What type of team is yours? Rescue, exploration?" The canine Pokémon turned to face Lilith.

"Rescue team, we have a very reliable information network. We've been investigating kidnappings related to various citizens, unfortunately, they seem to be random."

Lance flinched at the word "kidnappings", but kept his stance. "Okay, I understand. Do you have any leads? I'm gonna investigate this further."

"Wait, what?!" Meggie raised her voice. "We're gonna tackle this?!"

"It's related to me, so yes, we will," Lance said.

Lilith smirked, the Lucario's words were like a soft tune to her ears. "In that case, what if I propose an alliance between our teams? After all, we've been following this case for a while."

"Interesting point, Lopunny," Lance nodded, interested in what the bunny had to say.

"I might need to check what my companions have to say about this, but knowing them, I'm sure they're gonna love the idea!"

Meggie brushed her nonexistent hair. "Seems fair to me, where will we meet them?"

"Meg's correct. And also, when are we doing this meeting?"

"I need to take the Mawile to the hospital, so I'd say… One hour?"

"May I suggest the Hero guild? I'm used to it, graduated there and all," Lance nodded, looking at Lilith.

"It could work," the bunny bowed.

* * *

After setting that up, the three Pokémon went in different directions. Lance and Meggie went to talk with Apollo, and after that, decided to go to Lance's apartment, so they could talk with Brian.

Once they got there, they saw the Zoroark sleeping on the couch, several bottles of beer were scattered around the floor and the strong aroma of alcohol filled the air, making Lance cover his nose in disgust.

"I swear, if you weren't my brother, Brian, I would punch you."

"Well, well, I don't think he's gonna wake up so soon…" Meggie laughed to herself.

Lance rolled his eyes, and then noticed something on the table: three boxes with a letter attached to one of them. Curious, he looked closer, and began to read out loud.

"Dear Lance, Brian, and Meggie, these boxes contain gifts for all of you. Since we don't know when Meggie's birthday is, we decided to give her something as well! Brian helped us make your gift, Lance, and his gift is gonna arrive soon!"

"A gift? For me? Who wrote that?"

"Dad did. I guess Brian's six-month course in engineering paid off."

"Well, he did want to become our mechanic, and this town has that type of aesthetic anyway. Good for him! Now open my gift!" Meggie jumped like a child, waiting to see what she received.

Lance sighed, opening all the boxes. For Meggie, she got a tiara, for Lance, two bracelets, who fit perfectly in his arms. As for Brian, his box was by far the largest, and contained a tool vest, having screwdrivers, wrenches, hatchets and sockets, all fitting for the Zoroark to use.

"H-How did he learn to do this stuff in six months?!" Meggie gasped, staring at all those tools.

"When Brian sets his mind on something, he does it, I guess," Lance shrugged, putting the bracelets on his arms. "Now this? I have no idea what it does."

"It's for the aesthetic, Lance! And if it's not, we can ask your sibling after we're done with the meeting!"

"O-Oh yes, right, the meeting…" Lance lowered his ears. Despite wanting to pursue that Gallade, he couldn't help but be scared of doing so. What would he do if they met again?

Questions like that popped up inside his brain, enough for Lance to shiver. Meggie, having noticed that, got near her friend. Trying to calm him down, she held his hand. The Lucario took a deep breath, that same exercise he was so familiar with always worked. This time wasn't different, and soon enough, Lance managed to stop his panic attack.

"…Lance."

"Y-Yeah?"

"We should go to the meeting," Meggie nodded. "I don't think your brother will wake up anytime soon."

"R-Right," Lance cleared his throat, leaving his home alongside his friend.

* * *

It wasn't long until the duo arrived at the building they wanted. Where once was the Black Skull guild now stood a subdivision of the Hero guild, so familiar to Lance. Simple enough, the building had an architecture of metal, much like the rest of the city, and extended until their eyes could see, the top merged with the smoke that came out of the city's factories.

And yet, the fact that he was going there to talk about pursuing someone who hurt him made Lance stop to reconsider his choices. Then he remembered that Mawile; she was a victim, just like him.

"Let's go."

Once they got inside, Lance noticed several of the guild members walking around the place, some were hasty, and some were at a regular pace. Inspecting around, Lance saw the Lopunny, sitting at a table in the middle of the guild hall.

Meggie, on the other hand, was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the hall, as it had light poles powered by Luminous Orbs everywhere, besides the mission board, located at the right side of the hall. It also contained several tables for anyone to sit down and relax, beyond a set of stairs, leading to the second floor. Next to the stairs was the secretary's stand, where a Krokorok was reading. Meggie wondered if the Sceptile that had helped her so much was in the office. Oh well, that wasn't what they were there for. Her eyes darted to the Lopunny, and she walked towards the bunny.

"Welcome, miss Meggie, mister Lance."

The Lopunny's companions were staring at Lance and Meggie: a black-colored Marowak, holding a bone with a flaming tip, and a Electivire. Both of them were carrying bags on their backs.

"It's nice to meet you too," Lance crossed his arms. "I'm Lance Williams, and this is my friend, Meggie."

"Hello!" The Snorunt waved.

"Very well. Introductions, I assume. My name is Scar, I am the leader of Team Rebirth. You've already met Lilith, and this—"

"I'm Maxwell, but you can call me Max if you want!" The Electivire gave a wide grin.

"I understand. My other teammate is currently… Hungover. So he can't join us right now," Lance sighed, sitting on the table. "Regardless, I assure you we can come to an agreement."

Meggie also sat down, and with all those big Pokémon, she felt a little insecure, but brushed it off. "Yes. We found that Mawile with… Mega evolution? Is that it?"

"You are correct. Lilith, may I have the Emera?" Scar looked at the bunny, and she opened her purse, handing him the item.

Lance decided to check the aura of that rock. Like he thought, it radiated a powerful, almost intoxicating energy.

"J-Just… How is that thing even made? My brother would sure love to check this stuff out…"

"We don't know. However, we have our ideas," Scar answered.

"You see, we have this big information network, spanning all over Eutrios!" Max's words screamed with energy. "Shocking, isn't it? Eh?"

Lance was less than amused. "I'll ignore that pun. Anyway, network?"

"Just some Gengar that are more than happy to work for us, alongside a few Sableye. In fact, about a week from now, we're gonna get their newest reports," Lilith smirked, closing her eyes.

"Got it!" Meggie said, brushing her face again.

"Well, how is your investigation going?" Lance asked, looking at Scar.

"Straight to the point? I like you already, mister Williams. Our intel says they have multiple reports of Pokémon going missing, seemingly at random. However, this isn't something recent. As a matter of fact, it's been goin for at least—"

"Nine years," Lance dropped his ears, that entire sentence stinged inside his heart.

Lilith blinked. "How do you know that? Did you investigate that as well?"

"I was one of them. I escaped, or rather, they threw me out. One Blaziken and one Heracross."

Meggie wondered, sensing something similar in all three species of Pokémon. Still, she couldn't figure out what.

"I see… Are you doing this out of revenge, mister Williams?" Scar asked.

"No. I want to make the world a better place, and that guy… The Gallade. He can't keep doing this. It's not… right"

"Be the change you want to see in the world, correct?" Scar got up, his face had a faint smile. "Understandable. It's gonna be a pleasure working with you. However, before we do this, I need something from you, mister Williams."

Lance sighed. "What are you talking about?"

"Simple. A test. Lucario are an… Interesting species. I just want to see what your skills are…"

Lance got up, ears twitching. "Tell me what this test is all about…"


	24. Dungeon 23 - This is a test

Walking through the streets alongside the Marowak, Lance began to ponder what Scar meant by "test". Was it another mission? Was it a battle? An investigation? That made him curious, especially because the Marowak refused to answer when Lance asked before.

"Hm. I think we're getting close to where we need to go."

Lance twitched his ears when he heard that, recognizing the street they were in. "The hospital? Wai—"

"Precisely. You're a Lucario, a species that has a natural affinity to aura. With that being said, I'm curious to the extent of your abilities…"

The Lucario backed away for a few meters, that story had just gotten weirder for him.

"Please, don't be scared. We are merely questioning Miss Amy, the Mawile we rescued."

"Of course," Lance rolled his eyes. "Yes, why not use the empath to get answers?!"

"I understand your frustration. But consider this: she has been in the same situation as you once were, don't you think she needs closure as well?"

Lance clenched his fist. As much as he didn't want to admit, Scar was right; what happened to him and all the other test subjects was awful, and he was lucky to have escaped that hellish place.

"I-I…" He took a deep breath, looking up.

"Time is a luxury we don't possess, Mister Williams. Are you sure you want to brood right now?" Scar sighed, looking at him. "We're doing the right thing, but we're also on the clock. If we take too long here, that Gallade will continue his plans, whatever they may be."

That last sentence hit Lance like a Steelix, and that was all he needed to hear. Scar was right, he understood how that Mawile felt, and because of that, he needed to help; with a newfound resolve, Lance nodded.

"Let's go. I'll pass your little test. And… Thank you, for reminding me of my motivation."

"Very well."

* * *

After entering the hospital, the duo went to the reception, and right there was a male Indeedee, who looked at them with a smile.

"Good morning," Lance said. "My companion and I are explorers, well, I am, he's a member of a rescue team. Anyway, we need to talk to Miss Amy, she's a Mawile."

"Oh, explorers? She's recovering, so I suppose you can talk to her, but… Please don't take too long. Her room is at the end of the corridor."

"Don't worry. We won't," Scar nodded, entering the large corridor alongside Lance.

Lance gulped a bit as he stared at the large hall filled with rooms for the patients; he couldn't help but remember when he was trapped inside that awful prison, causing the Lucario to tremble for a bit. Regardless, he was there for a reason, and needed to move forward.

"I can tell you're anxious, Mister Williams."

"Oh, really? Well, this isn't easy for me…"

Scar looked at Lance straight in the eye, keeping his smirk.

"Understandable. But well, if you want to quit, the time is now. So tell me, mister Williams, will you face your shadows or will you give up?"

"This again. What made you so fixated on me?!"

Scar chuckled. "Well, I think this place needs more Pokémon like you, who are willing to make it better. As I said before, be the change you want in the world."

Lance flinched, all of his actions flashing inside his head. He began to wonder what he could have been if his life was different; perhaps if the kidnapping never happened, Lance wouldn't be the killer he was today.

"I…"

None of his teammates knew the truth, which only made him feel worse. What would his brother think? And what about Meggie? She wasn't a close friend for him to reveal all of that. At least not yet.

"It seems you are having troubles deciding this. If I may ask, what's happening?"

"Nothing."

"Well, Mister Williams, for what it's worth, I think you're doing a good job. I'm not sure what's bothering you," Scar nodded, then continued to walk. "But I'm here to support you, considering you're also the victim here. Do you understand?"

Lance sighed, so that Marowak was supportive of him? Yet, that didn't remove the uneasiness inside Lance's heart, especially when he pondered how his teammates would react.

 _I did it for the greater good…_ He thought.

Finally, he sucked it all in. All the anxiety, all the panic, Lance ignored all of that and continued to walk along the hall.

* * *

Amy stared at the large window her room had. The last day was little more than a haze for her, but at least she wasn't in that awful place again. Yet, the Mawile flinched; there were still others that needed help, and she was lucky to have escaped.

"Hello, Miss Amy?" Someone knocked on the door.

She cringed, thinking if she should ignore that; despite her consciousness screaming for her to run away, Amy smiled. "Please, come in!"

Lance was the first to enter; hospitals were never a place he liked to visit, but for the moment, that was pointless. He approached Amy and sat down on one of the chairs.

Scar, on the other hand, stood up, waiting for the interrogation to be over.

"Good morning," Lance said, forcing a smile, trying to make her feel welcomed.

It had the opposite effect; Amy flinched and looked away.

"H-Hello, you are…?" She asked.

"Lance. Lance Williams, leader of Team Liberators," Lance said, looking at her before continuing. "And I'm here to ask you a few questions. Please, I mean you no harm."

"O-Oh, really? I'm sorry, I don't remember anything from when I was kidnapped!"

Lance sighed, he didn't even need to use his aura to know that was a lie. "I'm sorry, miss, but… I never even said you were kidnapped, and you already jumped to that."

"I-I, look, please, I don't want to talk to anyone about that, I just want to—"

"Forget it ever happened? As if it was nothing more than a nightmare…" He sighed, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"Wha… What? How do you… Know that?" Amy blinked, suddenly wanting to ask that Lucario so many questions.

"I was there too, only… Nine years ago. A Gallade, correct?"

Amy grabbed the sheet, clenching it tight; so that boy went through it as well? Like her, he was a survivor.

"And… How did you escape?"

"They threw me in a dungeon, you?"

"Apparently that Gallade wanted a more practical test, and sent me with some grunts," she sighed, looking down.

"I understand. Look, it's hard, but _trust_ me, it gets better."

"How?!" Amy screamed, tears were streaming down her face. "How does it get better? There's so many others… Oh, Arceus, I shouldn't have survived, they deserved more than I do…"

Lance closed his eyes, that sentence also stung him. Survivor's guilt wasn't something he had, but regardless, anyone would come out of that place with some form of trauma.

"I'm going after him," Lance stood up, looking straight at her face. "I'll find him and I'll make sure he won't do anything like this ever again!"

"Yo-You will?! Please! Save them, save all the others!"

"Of course, you have my word, miss. But also, I need your help… What do you remember about that place?"

"There was… Some rubble? I'm sorry, I remember being dragged to a place filled with debris."

"Debris, huh? Well, thank you anyway, Miss Amy," Lance nodded, walking towards the door with Scar. Before he left that place, however, he looked back, smiling. "I promise you, we'll end this…"

Both went outside, Lance was back to his usual stoic self. After they were far away enough from the hospital, Scar patted Lance on his shoulder.

"What? What is the meaning of this?" Lance blinked, backing away.

"I didn't know you had it in you, Mister Williams. Congratulations, you passed my test," Scar smiled, continuing to walk. "I look forward to working alongside you in the future, and hopefully we can stop this mad mon."

* * *

Meggie and Lilith entered the police station. Since the boys headed to the hospital, it was up to them to gather intel with the police; and so, after talking to the secretary, they went to detective Apollo's room, soon finding the Arcanine sitting on his desk, focused on the papers he was reading.

"Hello, detective! It's me, Meggie!" The Snorunt said, waving to him.

Apollo twitched his ears, looking at them. "W-Whoa, I didn't expect to see both of you here! How are you doing?"

Lilith grinned, approaching him. "Hello, detective. My friend and I are looking for the case files on the missing Pokémon, we're going to take this mission."

Apollo barked. "Mission?! But there was no mission report, what are you talking about?!"

Lilith kept her grin, walking around the place, head raised.

"Oh, really? What a shame, I was sure I got the request from one of the survivors, what was his name again? Oh… Lance Williams."

Apollo's chin almost fell when he heard that, and the detective took some time to process all that. Lance never told him about that, but he must've had his reasons, right?

"H-Hm, understandable," Apollo cleared his throat. "He asked for you to investigate his captor?"

"Yeah, he did!" Meggie spoke up. "Well, I'm his friend, I need to help… And I'll do that, mister!"

"What about you, Lopunny? What's your goal in this?!" Apollo growled at her.

"I'm a member of a rescue team, it's my job, don't you think? Anyway, since we're investigating, we need the files, please."

Apollo, defeated, opened a drawer, taking some sheets of paper and carefully placing them on the table. "Is that enough?"

Lilith picked the papers, chuckling for a bit. "Yes, that'll do nicely, thank you very much, detective!"

"Oh, thank you!" Meggie sighed, relieved that they got those files so easily. "We'll keep in touch!"

"Meggie, please. Be careful…" Apollo sighed, lowering his ears.

"Will do!"

* * *

One hour had passed since then, and now the group was once again sitting on a table at the guild. Now that they gathered the info they needed, both teams could discuss what to do with that information.

"I propose we wait again," Lance said, crossing his arms. "You said you have Gengar acting as spies, correct? Well, if we can get their info, and add _that_ to our own, we can come up with a plan."

Scar chuckled, the green flame of his bone club flaring brightly. "That sounds like a good idea, Mister Williams. Lilith, how much longer until one of the Gengar comes back with info?"

Lilith scratched her chin, pondering. "I think one week, at the very least."

"Well, that seems reasonable! Although I was hoping they would come sooner, there isn't much we can do about it," Scar nodded. "Now, we need to decide one more thing, who is going to guard the Emera? Such a powerful weapon needs protection, don't you think?"

"Oh yeah, it causes… Mega Evolution, right?" Meggie tilted her head. For some reason, she felt that was familiar, despite having no memories. Because of that, she just assumed it was a human thing.

"That thing is weird," Lance said. "The aura it gives makes me nauseous…"

"I can say the same, and I'm not even proficient with aura!" Lilith laughed, opening her purse to take out the stone.

"Hmph, perhaps you both are weak-minded, I feel nothing," Scar added.

Meggie kept staring at that stone, trying her best to remember what it meant. Why did Lance and Lilith feel uneasy next to that Emera when no one else did? It was almost as if there was something common to them.

"Say… Lance, can I ask you something?" Meggie looked at the Lucario.

"Sure, go ahead," Lance raised an nonexistent brow.

"When you were kidnapped, do you remember what other Pokémon you saw?"

"I-I beg your pardon?!" Lance gasped, growling for a moment, before calming down. "The Pokémon who took me was a Heracross."

"Heracross, Lucario, Lopunny, Mawile, Gallade," Meggie tapped the chair, working out something inside her head.

"What… Does that have to do with the Emera?" Lilith tilted her head. "Please, if you're gonna add something, only do it if it's important!"

"No, let her do that," Scar said. "This is interesting…"

Finally, Meggie gasped, raising her head. "I know the answer! It's because of your species!"

"...What?! Meggie, explain yourself," Lance huffed.

"All of you have… Wait a minute…" Meggie stuttered, trying to think of the words. "Yeah, Mega Evolution! I know why that mon kidnapped you!"

"Like I said before, explain."

"Lucario, Lopunny, Mawile and Heracross. They all have access to Mega Evolution! I can't explain it fully, but… I just know it! If you use that Emera, you're gonna evolve like that Mawile!"

"Interesting, little one, but how can you be so sure of that?" Scar questioned.

"I'm a—"

"She doesn't need to explain that," Lance said, interrupting his friend. "I… Understand Meggie, I'll trust you on this. We're teammates, after all."

"Teammates, huh? Fair enough, Mister Williams, I'll give you both the benefit of the doubt. So, let's meet again next week, at this same spot?" Scar extended his arm to Lance, who shook it.

"Yes. We will."

"Understood. As for the Emera, I'll keep it to myself," Scar added. "If what Miss Meggie is saying happens to be true, then I should be fine."

* * *

A red Lycanroc ran around the town. He continued his stroll, until he found a building, checking the sign to confirm it was a bar, and after talking things out with a Roserade guard, entered the place.

Inside, the wolf took a few moments to check his surroundings: lots of mercenaries, some stared at him while he walked. The Lycanroc stopped, sitting on a table alongside an orange Lycanroc.

"Lunick, I see you're here," the dusk Lycanroc said, munching on a piece of what appeared to be steak. "Did you find out something about those teams?"

"Y'know, it's super weird that we gotta eat that… I mean, that Tauros may not be sapient, but still… Well, whatever! I'm hungry!"

Lunick proceeded to also eat, with ferocity comparable to a wild animal. His brother, Sirius, wasn't amused.

"Well, who's to say it wasn't sapient? For all you know, that feral Tauros was once a Pokémon like us, with hopes and dreams…"

"Hm?!" Lunick nearly choked on his meat, and immediately drank a glass of water to calm down.

"It was a joke, you idiot. Focus on the matter at hand!"

"For fuck's sake, you scared the crap outta me, Sirius!" The wolf growled. "And the only thing I found out was that they were at the hospital, and then they went to that Hero guild!"

"Oh? I presume you didn't spy on them, did you?"

Lunick's ears dropped, and that was enough of an answer to Sirius.

"Look, I didn't, I mean, I had a few short steps here and there… And I stopped to eat! A mon's gotta eat!"

"Well, unlike you, I actually spent my time doing meaningful things, for example, this bar we're in…"

"Yeah?" Lunick continued to munch on the steak.

"There used to be a lot more mercs here, but that Lucario… A lot were arrested by that Lucario's team."

"H-Huh, really? Damn, those guys do their job well."

Sirius continued. "Having information on your enemy is a good thing. Did you get any useful one, apart from that?"

The red Lycanroc gulped. "Eh, not really. What's our plan?"

"...Typical."

"I just hope that Gallade won't kill us…"

"Of course, we're gonna succeed," Sirius shrugged. "Now finish this meal so we can get out of here."

"Yeah, yeah… And what are we gonna do?"

"Obviously, continue to spy."

* * *

The night fell as Lance and Meggie returned to their apartment, but as they walked up the stairs, Lance decided to talk with her for a bit

"Meggie, I hope you're right about this whole thing," he sighed. "You being a human is weird enough, but… Are you sure you're right?"

"Well, yeah! I mean, not 100%, maybe… 80%? Okay, I'm pretty sure it's 60%!"

Lance lowered his ears. "That… Doesn't help much."

Meggie looked up, holding his hand.

"I want to help you, okay? You're my friend, and what happened to you… If I can prevent the same thing from happening with others, then I'll do it!"

Lance blushed, pouting. "O-Okay, but please, no hand holding! We're just friends!"

She backed away. "Friends… Well, I like that. I'm not sure I'll ever remember how I used to be, but… I think I'm happy living here, and learning new things."

"Sometimes I wish I never remembered what happened, but yet, those nightmares…" Lance flinched, fur standing up.

"Hey, it's okay! Brian and I are here for you!" Meggie smiled to him.

That act of kindness was enough for Lance to reciprocate and smile as well. "Well, Brian… Oh, I hope he accepts this mission, I got carried away and just took it without asking him."

"I'm sure he will! He's your twin, well, fraternal twin! But still!"

Lance walked up again, smiling more. "Well, I'll handle him, like I always do. So… Good night?"

"Night!" Meggie opened her purse, taking the key to her apartment.

The Lucario smiled, opening the door to his home, and locking after getting inside. Like he thought, his brother was still on the sofa, even drooling on it.

 _You annoy me to no end, always cracking jokes, pranks and all that, but… I wouldn't want anyone else to be my partner, even if I'm like this…_ Lance wondered, before getting inside his room.

That night, for what seemed to be the first time in forever, Lance slept like a baby, excited about what would come next.


	25. Special Episode 2 - The taste of metal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another special episode. And with this I need to give a warning for gore. Apart from that, there's also something I need to comment on, and that is: the only special episodes you consider canon are the ones I said so. With that being said, this one isn't canon, it's a "what-if" scenario of chapters 18 and 19. Anyway, enjoy!

Atlas was tired. Sure, that mission he got would help him get rid of those brats, but he was walking for what seemed to be hours on that infernal dungeon, and nothing seemed to be happening. His friends, Flint and Napoleon, were behind him, the Bisharp was panting, out of the three he was the one most susceptible to heat, and it showed by his slow pace.

"Guys. I don't think this is, uh, gonna work," Napoleon gulped. "We're running in circles, and there's no sign of those kids! I think we might've been tricked."

"How long have we been here?" Atlas asked, looking at Flint.

Flint took a moment to check his bag and its contents: a Blowback Orb, three Reviver Seeds, one Blast Seed, one canteen with water, three Rawst Berries, and finally, a pocket watch.

"About two hours, damn it!" Flint clenched his fist. "This stupid dungeon keeps changing!"

All they could see on the distance was the large stream of lava flowing like a river; luckily for them, they were standing on solid ground, and one of the rocky formations appeared to be a natural bridge connecting that area to the rest of the dungeon, located on top of the magma river.

"We can't stay here for long," Flint said, mumbling something to himself. "Otherwise we might risk… Losing it."

"Oh, shut up, Flint!" Atlas snarled, tail slapping on the floor. "There's no point in saying the obvious stuff!"

Flint hissed at that comment, his blade protruding. "I'd like to see you strategize, for once."

"Uh, yeah, he's right Atlas, Flint is the smartest one here, maybe you should listen to him," Napoleon blinked.

Flint raised his head. "Hmph. Then let's continue the mission, or find the exit. Whatever comes first."

They began to walk towards the bridge to the other area. Atlas shivered. That bastard Riolu must've tricked them, after all, why risk their sanity only for a few mercs?

"Let's just move out. This mission is a bust!" Atlas yelled again.

They all heard screeching. From the magma, five Slugma jumped, and as they landed, the ground beneath them sizzled, soon being followed by countless others. Flint backed away because of the heat and the ferals.

"What the fuck?!" Atlas blinked, roaring at one of the Slugma that jumped in his direction.

"Napoleon, I'd love for you to use your Liquidation move, we're on the clock here!" Flint hissed, arms glowing pink as he threw numerous psychic blades at some of the Slugma.

"They're pests, that's all!" Napoleon launched water blades on them, panting with each strike.

"There's too many of them!" Atlas' hand sparkled, sending an electric shock on the wild Pokémon.

Flint smirked when he heard that. _Right, too many. Seems like the perfect opportunity!_

"W-What about that bridge?! We can cross it!"

Just as he said that, the trio felt a massive earthquake around the cave. Atlas gulped, looking behind him: the dungeon was rearranging itself. That was natural, but he didn't expect it to happen now! Rocks shifted, and more of the ground began to be covered in lava, the whole area shook and it felt like that wouldn't stop so soon.

"Let's get out of here!" Atlas cried out to his team as they narrowly dodged a piece of rock that fell out of the ceiling.

The trio ran as fast as they could, yet the Aggron was behind his friends, having to dodge the Slugma and with all that weight, he was slowing down.

Soon, when Flint and Napoleon were finally on the other side of the bridge, they looked back and saw Atlas, running while trying to dodge all the lava and debris.

"Atlas, I apologize for this," Flint chuckled, his hand glowed in a pink tone and he slashed the air, a psychic blade was sent towards the bridge, breaking it down.

"Wh-What?! Flint, you…!" Atlas roared, backing away. With his only means of getting to the other side gone, he panted, panic taking hold of his mind.

"H-Hey, what's the point of that, Flint?!" Napoleon screamed, looking at the Bisharp, who simply chuckled.

"Dead-weight, my friend. And a bad one at that. Again, I'm sorry Atlas, but the strongest must survive!"

With that, Flint ran away with Napoleon, entering a corridor, dodging a Thunderbolt from Atlas in the process.

"T-They betrayed me… My childhood friends…"

The Slugma were still there, and they began to converge on Atlas to strike him down.

He wanted to cry, but was unable to. All that was inside his mind was rage, he roared like a beast, the sound echoing all around the area, making the Slugma retreat for the moment.

He fell to his knees, and punched the ground over and over again. Atlas didn't care about that anymore, all he wanted was to kill the Pokémon he once thought were his teammates.

"W-Why?! You all… I'll kill you! I'm not dying here!" He roared, firing another Thunderbolt, without any aim, the electric attack hit the lava and dissipated.

The earthquake stopped, leaving Atlas alone with his thoughts. His teammates, no. His enemies, that was right, they were his enemies now, and just like every time, he was going to survive. That's how it was for his entire life, and a simple dungeon wasn't going to best him.

"They're going to wish I'll spare them…" Atlas snarled, getting on all fours. For now, he needed to find a way back to those traitors.

* * *

Flint walked through that corridor, inspecting the place. The rocks that formed the walls and ground seemed stable enough, and he could see magma dripping through most of them, so much so that the entire place was painted yellow, but he could avoid those spots without much issue. He smirked, Atlas wouldn't be able to follow them so soon, not until the place changed again. And even if he did, that large body of his would have some trouble fitting in.

"Hey, Flint! You're so quiet! I get that it's your thing, but we just ditched our friend!"

Flint pondered about the times the three spent together, and despite enjoying the company, Atlas was too scared, always taking the easy missions, never risking too much. And look at where that got them, trapped inside a cave. That enough made Flint hiss for a bit, and he recomposed himself.

The Bisharp staggered back, gaze fixed on Napoleon. "So what? He's a worthless pile of Garbodor, we're better off without him in our way. You said it yourself, it's more money! Sharing just between us will mean a bigger part for you."

"You may be right, but still… I didn't know you had it in you! Would you do the same if I became dead-weight?"

Flint didn't answer that, choosing to continue his stroll, whether or not Napoleon agreed with him.

 _What am I thinking? I would do that to him…_ The Empoleon sighed.

The Bisharp panted, that heat was getting to him. "We need to leave. Since this place shifted, the exit might be closer than we thought."

"Flint, wait!" Napoleon pulled his friend back, just as a flaming rock hit the ground in front of them.

A Slugma appeared from the lava, staring at them. It hissed, before releasing a stream of flames towards both.

"Get away, stupid feral!" Napoleon screamed, launching water blades on each of his arms, aiming towards the fire.

The impact made the flames disappear, but also created more steam around the area where the moves collided. The feral Slugma hissed, opening its mouth to fire another attack.

"Hmph," Flint said, using the psychic blade once again. The attack hit the Slugma, cutting it in half and its remains melted into the lava.

"You're right," Napoleon gulped. "We can't become like that… Thing!"

Flint's retractable blades pointed out without him wanting to, and he soon retracted then again. "We won't. Now move, I don't want to take more time here than I need."

Both continued their stroll in silence; Flint, however, could feel a tingling sensation on the back of his head. He could only hope it wasn't what he thought.

 _Okay, I'm in control here. Good, now I just need to leave without going insane, panic will only make the process faster,_ Flint tried his best to remain calm to keep himself sane.

Napoleon, though, looked back every so often, trying to see if Atlas was near him. One small part of him wondered if what they did was wrong, since he knew the Aggron even as a kid, but considering all the crimes they committed so far, this was just another thing on the list.

* * *

"When I find them, I swear I'll… Urgh!" Atlas punched the floor again, this time with so much force it began to crack.

Betrayal. He didn't believe those guys were capable of such a thing, considering all they've been through together. But it seemed to be a thing of the past now.

 _Calm down, Atlas, this fine,_ he wondered, looking around.

He could see streams of lava flowing from the ceiling, and what appeared to be a huge river where that bridge once stood. Atlas began to think of a plan, but found himself struggling to think.

 _Urhg, must… Find them. But, jump? No, if I jump I'll just… Urgh, sink? Yeah, sink! Then, how?_ The words were escaping without him even realizing it.

_Why… Can't think. Feel weird—_

The ground shook again, and, where once was a stone wall stood another corridor.

"G-Good! Took too long! I find… W-Wait. Words escaping, o-oh no! NO!"

Atlas gulped when he realized what was happening: it had begun, he was getting his sapience stripped away, like a candle in the wind. That only served to make him panic even more, struggling to think of what to do there. Since Flint was the one who carried the bag, he couldn't use any orbs to escape.

"Find… Friends. No, find… Prey!" Atlas snarled and ran to that opening as fast as he could, which wasn't that much.

Regardless, his mind was focused on finding his former friends, as for what he would do once he found them, that thought made him lick his lips, drool coming out of his mouth.

* * *

Finally, after what felt like an endless walk, Flint and Napoleon could see the exit far away, and with it, the blue sky. Napoleon was ecstatic, prepared to run there.

"It took so long, but it's over now!" He said.

"Not quite," Flint crossed his arms. "We still need to deal with those children. I suggest we—"

The sound of metallic footsteps could be heard, getting closer every second, and with it came a loud, deafening roar.

"RAAAAAAWR!"

Flint turned around. "...You're here."

"Yes, I am! How… Dare you leave! We friends!" Atlas panted, his left hand fizzled with electricity.

"It's just business, Atlas, really! Sorry, but this is gonna end here!" Napoleon screeched, forming water blades on his arms.

Flint staggered back, that tingling had returned. "Napoleon, he's losing it. We can still be victorious."

"A-Are you oka—" Napoleon screamed, being hit by the Thunderbolt from Atlas. He fell, static coursing through his body and preventing him from moving.

"I. Murder. You. ALL!" Atlas roared again, falling on all fours. At that point, his drool fell to the ground, evaporating instantly.

"Hmph. So be it!" Flint readied his blade again, charging against Atlas.

The Aggron roared, turning around and slapping his thick tail against Flint's arm, launching him to the floor while he screamed in pain.

"I rrrreally… hate you!" Atlas flexed his claws, trying to hit Flint again.

Atlas could only focus on his enemy, his target, and his stomach began to growl. Hunger, that was it. Those two were an obstacle, one he needed to conquer. More drool fell on Flint's shoulder, Atlas got excited just by thinking of how he was going to finish them off.

"Cease it this instant, you monster! I am not dying because some stupid Aggron went insane!"

The Bisharp dodged every strike, trying to find an opening to counterattack. Eventually, he rolled, dropping the bag on the ground. Atlas chuckled, preparing another Thunderbolt.

"Orrrb and seed… Destrrrroy!"

"You _idiot_! Don't you have any sense of self-preservation?! You're gonna kill us all!"

"Atlas strrrrong. Not die!"

He fired the attack, hitting the bag. The resulting explosion propelled them all backwards, inside the depths of the dungeon once more. All of them fell down the ground, until they landed in another section of the cave.

"Urgh, damn it, Atlas, you idiot…" Flint stood up, his entire body ached from all that heat, and that tingling sensation returned once more.

This new section was scorch-red, and the rocks formed spikes all around it, and some Slugma were watching the whole battle from afar, too scared to interfere; the heat was almost unbearable for Flint, who snarled at Atlas, already fed up with him. His blades protruded once more.

"Atlas… Strrrrrong!" He said, getting up. Despite the explosion, his body armor was intact, protecting him from most of the damage before.

Napoleon, still paralysed, got up as well, cringing from all the static on his body. "Atlas! Stop this! Look, we're together again! Maybe we can, I dunno, rebuild our friendship?!"

"No frriends. Prrey! I… Defeat it!" Atlas roared, his speech deteriorated fast, replaced by a guttural, metallic sound. He got on all fours again and jumped at Napoleon, who couldn't move.

Flint's eyes widened as he saw what happened. Atlas bit down Napoleon's chest like a savage beast, without a care in the world other than hunting his prey, and he could even hear the Empoleon's bones snapping.

"A-ARGH! Stop it!" Napoleon begged him, tears in his eyes.

Atlas couldn't care less, only biting him harder. That moment was amazing, the Aggron kept chomping on his stomach, munching that delicious meat down his throat; the scent of blood filled his nostrils and was intoxicating, making him crave even more of that feeling.

"Atlas! Snap out of—" Napoleon's pleas slowed down. He couldn't take it anymore, looking at the savage Aggron, until his eyes closed forever.

Atlas was gone, his entire self now had the ferocity of a wild Pokémon, who didn't care for anything other than his own satisfaction and hunger, his mouth was covered in blood, so much that it dripped from him. The feral Aggron turned around, there was still one enemy left for him to maul, to show that he was the apex predator in that dungeon.

"...Look at you," Flint sighed. "A monster, in body and soul. It's… Too bad that it has come to this, but I'm not dying here! Not like this! Not by you!"

Aggron roared, his claws had a blue, draconic glow to them as he charged against Flint. The Bisharp roared, launching another blade at the feral, who simply ignored it, slashing all across Flint's chest.

"Argh!" He screamed, his body armor began to crack and blood spilled out from it. He sensed the tingling again, all over his head, and put his hands there, screaming in pain. "N-No, NO!"

For a moment, everything went numb for Flint. His past, his friends, it all seemed to crack like glass, and in its place, rage began to build inside his mind. How did that Aggron dare to challenge him, of all Pokémon? That Aggron needed the proper punishment, and he was going to give it to him.

Aggron backed away, tilting his head. What was his prey doing? It was then that he heard a sadistic type of laughter coming from the Bisharp, who stared at him. His eyes looked dead, and his mouth was fixed on a wide, feral grin. Flint, like his friend, went feral.

"RAAAAAWR!" Aggron charged once again, but this time, Bisharp was faster, holding Aggron's arm and squeezing it tight.

Aggron roared, charging electricity once more, only for Bisharp to lift his arm up, sending the discharge to the ceiling, the collision made that part of the dungeon unstable and rocks began to fall down there. He roared once again, trying to bite down Bisharp, who dodged, moving away from him.

"RAAAAWR!" Aggron screamed, creating a yellow energy sphere around his mouth.

Bisharp prepared the blades on both of his arms and ran towards Aggron, when a rock fell right in the middle of them.

Aggron unleashed the Focus Blast, destroying the rock and hitting Bisharp at full force, his enemy screamed and fell down, ashes were all over his body because of that move. The feral Aggron screeched, walking slowly towards Bisharp, drool falling down again.

More rocks fell down, but none of them hit the Steel-types, and Aggron continued to approach him, the loud, metallic clank of his feet was all Bisharp could hear.

For a brief moment, both seemed to recognize one another, friends since they were kids, and due to various events, the life they lived led to that place. Aggron shook his head in denial, before mauling the Pokémon he once was fond of.

A final rock came down on them, without warning, and the only sound that could be heard was that of metal breaking apart.


	26. Dungeon 24 - Smiles go for miles!

Salty air filled Brian's mouth as he walked down a grassy road, behind him were an Electivire and a Lopunny, two members of the team Lance had allied with. He didn't know them very much, but trusted Lance's judgement enough to work with those two just fine.

Still, he worried about his sibling. "I hope Lance and the others are okay… And that they're enjoying my gifts!"

Lilith chuckled. "If ya're worried about them, I think they're fine!"

"Oh yeah, the bracelets and the tiara will work fine with their skills! I gave my best making those things!"

Brian mumbled something, then nodded. Thinking would only make him anxious, and he had a job to do. It was five days after their meeting, where they decided to split in order to have a more effective search: him, Lilith and Max were going for Treasure town, a village known for its guild. His brother, on the other hand, was heading towards Sandune, a city that some said was built on top of ancient ruins.

"Coome ooon! We're going so slow! A Torterra would've arrived before us!" Max said as he stretched. The Electivire was eager for action, and so many days of walking made his legs tired.

"Oh dear," Lilith said. "Don't ya think ya're being a bit too, I dunno… worked up over this?"

Brian put his goggles on, zooming in on the horizon. He could see the city, and of course, the guild, built like a Wigglytuff. Well, the guildmaster was known to be eccentric, wasn't he? He chuckled, taking off the goggles.

"Well, guys, we're closer than before! I mean, my mouth tastes like salt… So we gotta keep moving, right?!"

"Brian, you're a genius! So… Last one there is a rotten Exeggcute!"

Lilith tilted her head, as if to say something, only for the two to dash forward. She pouted before joining them, dealing with two big babies wasn't going to be easy, she could tell.

* * *

Brian stared at the crossroads right before the town square. To his right, he saw the guild, smirking. Perhaps in a different scenario, he and Lance would have trained there. That was meaningless right now, because he won the race! The Zoroark turned around and puffed his chest, his long mane moving with the wind.

Max finally stopped running, panting. "S-Shit! You won this one…"

"Dude, I'm used to doing those things!" Brian said, ruffling his hair. "When I was still at the guild, I used to have races with this Electrike."

"Oh, but did you win any?" Max chuckled.

"The same way I won this one." Brian stuck out his tongue.

Lilith joined them, panting much like Max. She wanted to give both of them a much needed slap, but contained herself, the mission came first.

"Alright. We should summarize what we're about to do," Lilith glared at them. "We received reports of a Treecko that went missing."

Brian's expression shifted to a more serious one. Another missing kid… He wondered if they were okay, and hoped for the best.

"Yeah! Of course there should be a mission report at this guild, don't you think?" Max answered, looking at Brian.

"So we're gonna get it?" The Zoroark asked. With a nod from his companions, they all went to the guild.

Before they could get inside, however, they had to pass through the gate, where a Diglett checked their footprints. Brian found that to be odd, but didn't want to question it, he heard rumors about Wigglytuff's rage… Brian gulped and soon climbed down the stairs.

* * *

To his surprise, the guild seemed way more… ancient than Brian assumed, living in that large city clouded his judgement, he guessed. Grass covered most of the first floor, where he could see a few Pokémon, checking out the mission board on the walls.

Lilith cleared her throat to get his attention, they weren't there to gaze at the place. Brian nodded, before climbing down another set of stairs.

This time, there were multiple rooms that Brian assumed were offices for the higher members of that guild. His eyes shifted their gaze to the window.

"Wow! We're two floors underground, but look! We can see the sea!"

"Ha, this place ain't bad, it's kinda charming… don't you think?" Max chuckled, before a sound of wings flapping got his attention.

A Chatot appeared before then, heald tilted. "Hello. I never saw any of you gentlemon before, where are you from?"

Even though that bird wasn't singing, the tone of his voice sure made it sound like he was. Lilith put her serious face on before continuing the conversation.

"Greetings. I'm Lilith, those are my teammates…"

"Brian!" The Zoroark said.

"And Maxwell!"

Chatot flapped his wings again. "Well, shoo! Leave this place! The guildmaster is very busy, so we don't have time for your surveys!"

"W-Wha? We're not here for that!" Brian said. "Look, we want to help this missing kid… A Treecko!"

Chatot blinked, having misjudged them. "...Oh my. That poor, poor child. I see, apologies for my actions. How can I help you?"

"Well, ya could start by giving us info! There's a mission, yeah?" Lilith asked him.

"Indeed, there is. Not with me, though. It's with one of our crew members, this Heracross. I'll go get—"

Brian snarled, his fur standing on end. "A Heracross?!"

Chatot squawked at him. "Yes, a Heracross. Is there any problem, child?"

Shit, jumping to conclusions again. I hope it isn't that guy, Brian thought, before bowing. "S-Sorry, sir! I heard something else!"

"You misheard me? Hmph, alright. Like I was saying, I'll go get him. The guildmaster and I have quite a wingful of paperwork to do, so I'll just let him deal with it."

"Sounds good to me," Lilith said.

* * *

Meanwhile, another Pokémon had arrived in that city: an orange Lycanroc. He sniffed the air, and when he found the scent, he growled.

"Shit! What am I going to do now?!"

His enemies were inside, and he knew that place very well, as one of the higher underlings of his boss worked there. Sirius snarled; since he wasn't exactly on the side of the law, entering had to wait.

_Hm, I think I know a place…_

Sirius chuckled, his tail swished around and the wolf dashed into hiding.

* * *

Soon enough, through one of the doors came a Heracross, carrying a bunch of papers on his right hand. He had a wide smile on his face as he looked at the others.

"Good morning, it seems you're gonna try and find that Treecko?" The bug asked.

"Yeah! We are!" Brian shouted. "Well, we can't just let that happen…" his ears dropped.

"Understandable," Heracross gave the papers to Brian. "This is a copy of our files, it should have all the info you need. Will that be enough for you guys?"

"Sure." Lilith gave him a thumbs-up.

"Yeeeah!" Max chuckled, sparkling with electricity.

"Well, if that's all, excuse me, I need to go back to my office," and with that, Heracross was gone.

The trio left the building, and Lilith soon looked straight at Brian, making him turn around in shock.

"W-What? What's up?"

"What were ya thinking? What's so bad about a Heracross?"

Brian gulped. So his brother didn't tell them the whole thing? Odd, but regardless, he still reacted badly.

"...A Heracross was the one who kidnapped Lance."

Lilith blinked. "O-Oh, sorry, I didn't know… Do you think he's the same one?"

Brian shrugged. "No clue. I mean, he works at the guild, just like that one, and there's a missing kid, just like—"

A loud bark interrupted the Zoroark. "B-Brian?! It's that really you?!"

Brian turned around, seeing a Manectric, wearing a collar with the letter "B" around his neck, alongside a wristband. The dog blinked as he approached.

"I-I'm sorry, but uh, who are you?" Brian tilted his head.

"Oh, come on! It's me! Blitz!" he said, tail wagging.

The Zoroark stared at him, as if to analyze him, and smiled, hugging the canine. "Blitz! Holy shit, it's been so long!"

The Manectric chuckled, embracing the hug. "Dude, I could never forget your smell! Don't underestimate us canine Pokémon!"

Both were still wrapped in the embrace for some time, not really caring. They needed to make up for the time lost!

"Are you telling me I stink?" Brian grinned, sniffing his arm. "Uh, no, I'm a clean mon!"

"It's a joke… But seriously! It's so good to see you again!"

Finally, Lilith glared at them, causing both to shiver. That bunny could be scary if she wanted to.

The dog's gaze shifted to the other two. "Oops! Sorry, I didn't see you there! Hi, I'm Blitz Shred! Nice to meet you two!"

"Any friend of Brian is my friend! And well, you're electric too!" Max said with a smile.

Blitz sat on all fours. "So what are you guys doing here? I didn't think you or Lance would visit me, after… we broke up."

"Oh yeah, that. Don't worry about it," Brian sighed. "We're here because of a missing kid, a Treecko…"

"Ah, that case… Yeah, nobody found him yet, and we really don't have any suspects," Blitz whined.

An opportunity presented itself to Lilith, and the bunny laughed.

"I have an idea," Lilith said. "Brian, why don't you and Blitz go talk with the kid's parents? The rest of us can search about… Ya know."

"Ah, right! Blitz, what do you think? Wanna crack this case together?"

"Just like old times, right?" the dog smirked. "Sure, why not? But I have a question! What do you mean by "ya know", miss Lopunny?"

Brian scratched his chin. "Here's the thing. That Heracross at the guild? He's kinda sus, reminds me of the one that took… Lance."

Blitz blinked, confused. What was Brian talking about?

"...Really?! What makes you think so?"

"Works at the guild like the one I know, and there's a missing kid, don't you think this is sus?"

"You have a point," Blitz said, turning to face Lilith and Max. "Okay, if Brian trusts you guys, then me too! You got this!"

"Alright! If that's settled, let's go!" Max stretched his body, getting ready for a fight. The others wanted this to be peaceful, but his body was itching for battles.

"Okay! Blitz, come on!"

* * *

The two used that opportunity to catch up. While Blitz was talking about his missions and life in that town, Brian looked at the buildings. For some reason, he assumed they would have the shape of whatever Pokémon lived inside, or maybe that Wigglytuff was simply too eccentric, like the rumors said. Blitz smirked at that; every tourist had the same reaction, it seemed.

"I gotta admit, this town is impressive. Not like the one I live in, of course, but still…"

"Oh yeah, where do you live? Still with your bro?"

"We moved to Bright Dawn. It was his idea, but to be honest, I like it!" if Brian had a tail, it would be wagging. But since he didn't, all he was doing was giving a wide, toothy grin. "I even had a course on engineering, so I can build cool stuff to help my team!"

"I see, cool! Have you had any big accomplishments?"

"As a matter of fact, we did! There was this town, I think it's called Heavenwind? Well, a Luxray was terrorizing its citizens, so Lance and I took them down!" Brian flexed his claws, transforming into a Golem. "See this big guy? We defeated him."

Blitz nodded, looking at Brian, now back in his normal form.

"And uh, we had quite the trouble with some mercs…" Brian whined; the thought of their deaths still haunted him, even six months after it happened.

"I… see."

"What about you, Blitz? Any big things?"

Blitz pondered and then continued.

"Let's see… Oh, Shao Shao and I took care of a lost baby, returning him to his parents!" The canine barked happily.

"Uh, who's Shao Shao?"

"My boyfriend. He's this Mienshao, who's super cool! He went on a solo mission at the guild's request, so I'm on my own for now."

Brian nodded. Blitz seemed to get over his sibling fast, huh? Well, it was none of his business. Soon, they found themselves in front of a big house. Blitz dropped his jovial expression, whining for a bit.

"This is… the Regios' house. They're the parents of that Treecko. We should talk to them, right?"

Brian sighed. "...We should. Let's go."

* * *

Heracross stared at the green orb he possessed. He wanted to use it to talk to his boss about that team that came earlier, but didn't feel like it was worth it.

_Come on, Alder, it's gotta be a coincidence… right? It's not that same Zorua!_

He couldn't get that thought out of his head. What if it wasn't? He would have sent an innocent team to their demise. Then again, kidnapping children was his job, after all. He shouldn't feel remorse, as long as he got paid the right money.

_On the bright side, I still have… this._

Alder opened his drawer, looking at the Emera he possessed, given to him by his boss. It was precious and allowed him to become stronger, and that was all that mattered. This job paid well, so he would do it.

_Still, that is a tad weird. I hope it's not that kid. How many years ago? Nine? Eh, don't care._

He looked at the clock: three in the afternoon. His shift was over, and he was tired, so Alder left that building to go home. Once he got into the crossroad, a Dusk Lycanroc approached him, and he instantly recognized the wolf.

"Sirius? What are you doing here? I thought your mission was to test the side effects of the Emera?"

"Change of plans, Alder," he growled. "There's a team looking for our boss. Apparently this… Lucario was one of his subjects, and he wants revenge."

Alder bit his lips. That was the worst outcome, his instincts were right in suspecting that the Zoroark was the same Zorua from years ago. He clenched his fists.

"Got it. What do you want us to do, then?"

"We can ambush them," Sirius said. "My brother is following the rest of the team, and if he doesn't screw it up, we should be done with this soon."

"Ambush… serves you right!"

A sudden voice left them on high alert, but it was too late, two Orbs hit them, knocking them to a hole nearby, where a cafe led by a Spinda used to be. Soon, two figures, a Lopunny and an Electivire, joined them.

Alder coughed, the area was filled with dust and it was dark, unused for years. He got up, before a seed hit both yet again, paralysing them. Sirius stood up as well, growling to his enemies.

"Alright! We gotta ask you a few questions, nice and easy, okay?!" Max chuckled, his hands crackled with electric sparks.

The door to the abandoned cafe, guarded by Lilith.

"Max, please don't take too long. This place makes me want to sneeze."

She threw a Luminous Orb around, and light filled that area.

"Now let's begin our investigation, shall we?"

Max chuckled again, ready to ask some questions.

* * *

Brian sat on a chair, gulping. A female Sceptile and a male Grovyle were both crying. Blitz and his friend waited for them to calm down, which wasn't easy, after all that time their child was gone, they began to lose hope they would find him again.

"Uh, excuse me, but we wanna help you two…" Brian whined. "My brother was kidnapped as well,so I know how you feel…"

"Y-You do?! Is your brother alive?!" the Sceptile said.

"Y-Yeah! Well, he did get a scar and all, but he's still alive! In fact, we're on the hunt for who did this!"

Brian nodded and smiled, trying his best to calm them down. There was no point to asking questions if they were too anxious to answer. Fortunately, it worked, as the couple slowly calmed themselves.

"O-Okay," the Grovyle said. "We last saw Anthony when he went to train at the guild…"

"Yes!" The other Grass-type shouted. "He went out to the Sharpedo Bluff, and then…"

"He vanished," Blitz whined.

Training at the guild?! That's… the same thing!

Brian growled, he was sure of it. That Heracross was the same one, and he did the exact same thing to that Trecko as he did to Lance. Who knows what was happening to the boy right now?

"I understand," Brian got up. "Blitz, we're done. Okay?"

"S-Sure!" he nodded, leaving with the Zoroark.

Once they got outside, Brain looked straight at Blitz.

"It's him. It's the exact… shit, what's the word? Mode, moda… something!"

The Manectric tilted his head. "You mean _Modus operandi_?"

"Thanks, that one! We gotta warn the guild, right?"

"...Yes, we do! I can't believe it… he was here the whole time, if I knew, I-I would have done something!" Blitz's whole body shivered when he thought, he knew that Lance went missing and that he was tortured, but he never told him everything.

"Maybe I could have stopped that bug of doing the same thing he did to Lance…"

Brian whined. "I… didn't know you cared so much."

"Look, Lance couldn't accept that I needed to move out, but… it's fine. I got over it and I'm happy with Shao Shao," Blitz said. "But this doesn't matter, I don't need to love him to know that what happened was wrong!"

"Thanks, now let's go! Warn the guild!"

* * *

The duo ran towards the guild, and once they got close enough, they saw what appeared to be a commotion, where two Magnezone had not only the Heracross, but the Lycanroc in handcuffs and muzzled. They also had several bruises around their bodies and Brian could see a few electrical sparks around them. A fight must've happened, but why? He ignored that and kept walking. Alongside them were Lilith and Max, both in silence.

"W-What?!" Brian blinked, stopping on his tracks. "Wait, you guys got a confession? And what's that Lycanroc?"

"BZZZ, both are charged with kidnapping and attempted murder," one of the Magnezone said.

"BZZZ, that is correct," the other one continued. "The Electivire and Lopunny had a fight with them, and during that fight, both confessed their crimes. That is enough for them to be arrested."

Brian then looked at Alder, his eyes had a fire, a _fury_ inside them, if he didn't hold back, he would have attacked the bug already. "You… I'll find your boss, and he's gonna pay for what he did to Lance."

"Hmpff!" was all Alder said.

The Magnezone took them away into the prison, leaving the team and Blitz to talk alone.

Blitz sighed in relief. "...I'm in debt. Brian confirmed that he was related to Lance's kidnapping before, but it would take some time to have that confession! How did you do that?"

"They attacked us," Lilith said.

"But we did get something from those two!" Max said. Lilith opened her purse, taking out one green orb and one Emera.

"W-Whoa! Is that the item Lance said? The thingy that makes you evolve?"

"Evolve? I don't follow…" Blitz tilted his head. He felt that Emera calling to him, but shook the feeling off.

"Nothing to worry about!" Brian smirked. "And that green orb, what's it for?"

"Apparently, it teleports you to the Gallade's HQ," Max shrugged. "So look, we have two advantages now!"

Brian couldn't hold back his smile. "That's… amazing! How is this even possible?! Mind if I take a look at that orb?"

"I'll tell you what, Brian," Blitz said. "What if you and your friends came over to my house? You need to rest, I mean, if you travelled for so long, you must be starving, right?"

Brian agreed, and they all went back into the town again. A small victory, sure, but in the grand scheme of things, that might prove to be a bigger one than the team thought.

_Lance, I promise… I'll help you in any way I can! We're gonna have our closure!_


	27. Dungeon 25 - Hourglass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems we're getting closer to the point I want the story to go. Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

The scorching heat of the desert beamed down upon three figures, who walked with capes on to protect their bodies. Lance looked at the horizon, rocky arches covered most of the area, but it also had a few trees here and there, and the occasional feral that appeared, being defeated swiftly by either him or the Marowak that accompanied Lance.

Meggie was behind the others, and despite wearing goggles like them, she covered her face; a heavy sandstorm swept through the desert.

"Isn't this lovely, guys?" she coughed, the sand felt like tiny needles, not strong enough to pierce her skin, but they hurt. She mumbled something before running to catch up with her teammates.

"Hm, perhaps we could rest under that arch? The closest one," Scar said. "It has a natural ceiling, so we should be at least a bit safe from the heat."

"Yes, please! This heat is unbearable!" Meggie shouted, panting. "Look, I could really use some ice cream right now…"

"That would be lovely, miss Meggie," Scar nodded. "But you would just be dehydrated, don't you think?"

"We brought canteens, right? Also, Brain said that this tiara he gave me enhances my moves," she pointed to the item she wore on her head. "Something about a Never-Melt-Ice? Right, Lance?"

Lance didn't say anything, but he felt _something_. A presence that made his feelers twitch. He looked at his arms, checking the bracelets he got as a birthday gift. According to Brian, they served as aura enhancers, taking small amounts to allow him to shape his signature move, Aura Sphere, into whatever he wanted.

_Hmph. Seems like a good opportunity to test this thing,_ Lance smirked, turning around. He focused aura on his palm, shaping it into a sphere. The bracelets glowed blue, and the move changed form, turning into a whip. Lance whipped the area where he sensed something, but nothing came out.

"Huh, Lance? What was that?" Meggie asked, blinking.

They all heard a screech, and from the sand came a feral Trapinch. It jumped towards Lance, but got hit by a Water Pulse and passed out. Lance looked back, seeing Meggie with a wide smile.

"No need to thank me!" she said.

Lance blushed. "S-Sorry, guess I was wrong. Let's just… go."

"You both seem to be good friends, that is adorable," Scar said, walking alongside them.

* * *

After a few more hours of walking, they ended up beneath one giant stone structure, shaped like an arc. Deciding that the best option would be to rest, the trio sat on the floor. Meggie drank from one large canteen to hydrate while Scar checked his map; they were going in the right direction.

"What time is it?" Lance stretched his arms, yawning.

Scar checked his bag, taking out a pocket watch. "Five in the afternoon. Interesting, I didn't think we would take this long to cross the desert."

"I mean, we did get those mirages," Meggie chuckled. "Aw, I really want to find an oasis!"

"We might not make it today," Lance said, looking at his companions. "What if we set up a camp?"

The Marowak nodded. That was a good idea; they wouldn't be tired and could use that opportunity to know more of each other. Scar, in particular, was interested in knowing more about Meggie, and to that end, an idea came up.

"Mister Williams, would you like to get supplies? If we're camping, we should have some fire and food."

"Understandable," Lance stood up. "Wait for me here, I'll go and get those things."

And with that, Lance ran away into the desert, leaving Meggie and Scar alone. The Marowak looked at her, smiling.

"Would you like to do something to pass the time?"

"Hm, sure!" Meggie said. "Any ideas?"

Scar's gaze was fixed on her.

"Alright. How about this: I ask you one question about yourself, you answer, and then you do the same for me. How does that sound?"

Meggie pouted. It's not like she would be able to answer all that much, having amnesia and all. Yet, she took the offer with a nod.

"Very well. Why are you so sure about the Gallade taking specific species?"

She flinched, not expecting _that_ to be the first question. At the very least, it was something she could answer. "Well, think about it: nobody here had any idea that was possible, and it just so happens that a Mawile is able to do it, don't you think that's weird?"

"Ah, good idea. However, there's one flaw," Scar retorted. "Is there any guarantee that only those species are able to do it?"

She pouted again; the answer hurt. Well, she kept going. "Didn't Lance and Lilith say that they felt drawn to that Emera? I didn't, what about you?"

Scar chuckled, defeated. "That was the answer I was hoping for. You're smart, miss Meggie."

"Fine! Now it's my turn!" she grinned. "Why are you helping us?"

Scar sighed, scratching his arm. "You see, I believe we can change the world, and help others. Don't you think Lance deserves a good life? Not worrying about nightmares, panic, or anything that came with his kidnapping?"

Meggie tilted her head. "Okay, I get that, and I want to help him too, but like… Is there any specific reason you're doing this?"

Scar now had a somber look, his tail dropped. "If you really must know… I had a family, once. They're gone now, and I think… If I can help others, I might make up for letting my children die."

Meggie backed away, unsure of what to say. She wanted to help him, but at the same time, it wasn't something she saw coming.

"I-I… sorry! I shouldn't have asked that!"

"Don't worry, it's fine," Scar raised his head, smiling. "I now have the chance to make things right. There's one deity I believe in, and He's kind and benevolent."

"...You're religious? Huh."

Scar looked at the sides, checking out the vast desert they were in. That conversation went better than he expected, but talking about his past still stung.

"He is known as Necrozma. Many Pokémon believe Legends to be nothing more than that, a myth that helps children fall asleep. I am not one of them, I know Necrozma will help me, or rather, all of us."

"I see… Okay, it's your turn."

Scar shook his head. "Apologies, but I think I've had enough of this game. We should wait for mister Williams."

"Hm, I hope he's okay."

* * *

_I hate sand, why does this thing stick to my fur so much?!_

Lance, now carrying a few logs on his arm, mumbled to himself. He didn't have any luck finding ferals, and his aura sensors tingled every once in a while, although he couldn't quite tell what made him feel like that.

_And of course this place is filled with ferals, but they all just love to dig!_

Sensing one specific aura in that desert was proving to be difficult. Why couldn't he just focus? Maybe he was getting anxious, since they were near the town.

_If he's there, I—_

Another aura spike. This time, Lance heard flames crackling, and dodged just in time to avoid the attack, seeing one enemy he fought before: a red Lycanrock.

"You!"

"Nice to see you again, Lucario!" the wolf licked his lips. "This time I'll have my payback!"

"Hmph. Lunick, you continue to be pathetic, although…" he looked around. That whole desert was the perfect place to hide a body…

"Just shut up and fight me!" Lycanroc jumped, hands covered in draconic energy.

He charged towards Lance, but right before the attack could land, Lance thrust his arms forward, shaping two Aura Spheres into a big shield. Sparkles came out when the moves collided and Lunick stumbled back, dumbstruck.

"The fuck is that?! Some kinda aura enhancer?"

"Oh yeah, that is a cool name, not that it matters," Lance smirked, shaping another sphere into a blade.

"Tsc!" Lunick charged forward, his left fist shone red.

Lance jumped, shifting the blade into a whip, hitting the wolf with it. His opponent roared in pain, before tumbling down to check his wounds; his chest was bleeding from that attack.

"What the hell is your problem?! You could've killed me!" Lunick screamed, panting.

"I'm sorry, did you really think your life was worth it? You disgust me," Lance was on the ground again, preparing a regular Aura Sphere.

"A-Are you insane?! What the hell would your team think of this, you monster?!"

_Monster,_ Lance shivered, but shook his head. _It's pointless to think about that!_

The fight was interrupted by a loud roar, enough to shake the ground and the sand. From the depths of the floor came a Bastiodon, its eyes were fixed on the other two, and it was drooling.

"Oh, great. _Now_ a feral shows up, if it wasn't for yo—"

Lunick was already gone into the horizon, not wanting to continue that battle. Lance sighed, he couldn't get very far with that wound, could he? Regardless, his focus changed to Bastiodon again, as it charged, trying to strike Lance with its head.

"Argh!" Lance barely dodged, his chest got grazed a bit, and he fired his move, enough to land an aura burn on the Bastiodon's body.

The feral screeched, rocks began to appear from the ground and towards Lance.

"A smart one, huh?" Lance chuckled. Despite the danger, he was thrilled to fight, blood boiling in excitement.

He jumped, changing the spheres into blades, launching them at the rocks and destroying them. This made Bastiodon stumble back in fear.

"...How pathetic," Lance panted, his enemy went back into the ground.

With that out of the way, he noticed something: he lost the logs! With a scream, he kicked the sand, having to search for supplies once more.

* * *

"I don't think I understand this concept of… rock, paper, scissors."

Scar and Meggie were trying to play more games for most of the afternoon, although the Marowak had no idea what most of them were. Just what was up with that Snorunt?

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm not sure how I know about it myself… Guess we'll have to find something else to try, right?"

"Hm. What if we test that theory? I can try using the Emera on myself, and we see the results."

"Not a chance," Lance said, having just arrived, carrying a Sandshrew around his shoulder, and a few logs on the other one.

"Mister Williams, it's good to see you," Scar smiled. "I can see you got everything. Are you alright?"

Lance dropped everything on the ground. "Other than the fact I had to fight off a bunch of ferals and that stupid Lycanroc, yes."

"Huh, wait!" Meggie said. "Which one of the Lycanroc?"

"Midnight."

"That is a problem, for sure," Scar nodded. "With that in mind, perhaps we should continue travelling."

"He is wounded, I don't think he's a threat," Lance sighed. "And I'm tired, maybe we can take shifts to guard this area?"

"Understandable. I'll take the first shift, you take the second," he turned to Meggie. "And that leaves you with the final shift. Is that okay?"

They both nodded and began to set up camp. Lance, however, sat down, too tired to work anymore, so the job was instead done by Meggie and Scar.

* * *

Meggie had no idea where she was. Apparently a city? She saw a long road with buildings on either side, and on the end of the street, a large building that stretched as far as her eyes could see.

_What…?_

She looked at her hands and gasped. Unlike her usual Snorunt hands, they were human. Meggie took a look around her body, not only did she look taller, she had… fur? What was that?

Something inside said it was "hair". She touched it and brought it to her face, seeing it had orange color.

_Why does this feel weird, but… it also feels right?!_

Another closer look led Meggie to find out she had a lab coat on, although she wasn't sure how she knew that word.

A buzzing sound made her look down, seeing large pants. She took a phone out of her pocket, eyes widening.

_Whoa, is this… a p-phone? Where did I even learn that word?_

Suddenly, she heard laughter right next to her. Meggie turned around, seeing a couple of humans like her, chatting amongst themselves.

"So you're gonna challenge Clemont? With just a Gogoat? Don't you think you should have caught a ground-type?" one of them, a female, asked.

"Nope, I can kick that gym leader's ass with my Gogoat!" the other one, a man, answered.

_Gym leader? Just what is going on?!_

Meggie gulped, checking her phone again. She focused all of her strength to read what was on the screen, seeing it was a call from someone.

_Doctor… Jones? Who is this?_

The buzzing kept going, until she screamed.

* * *

She woke up in cold sweat. Was it her shift already? Nobody bothered to wake her up. Instead, her friends were also sleeping.

"H-Huh? Guys!" she shook them, and saw a seed next to Scar and Lance. "O-Oh no."

A snarl made Meggie turn around. It was already dark, and she could see two red eyes, glowing in the distance. That alone made her whole body shiver.

"You know, I need to make this quick, my chest still hurts," Lunick said, snarling. "I guess taking out the weakest member will be easy, hehe~"

Weakest member? So he knocked the others out? They didn't seem like they were waking up soon, so it was up to Meggie to fight.

"I may be the weakest, but that doesn't mean I can't fight! You hurt my friends!

She took one step, water forming between her hands.

Lunick chuckled, a chilling, genuine laugh. "My, my, don't you think you're getting carried away?"

She sniffed the air, picking up the scent of blood. "S-Says the one that is still hurt!"

The wolf growled, leaping at Meggie with his fangs coated in flames, only to be hit by the Water Pulse, falling to the ground and screaming.

Her mind was moving so fast in order to think of a plan. Meggie thought about her moves: Water Pulse, Frost Breath, Rollout and…

_That's it!_

"W-Why, you little piece of shit…!" Lunick snarled as he got up, charging with the same move from before.

This time, once he got near, Meggie looked at him, her eyes were glowing blue, and the move faded away. Lunick stumbled back.

"Y-You know Disab—"

Meggie rolled like a ball while also using her water move, crashing into Lunick and propelling herself to the air. As she fell to the ground again, she took a good look at Lunick. His fur stood on end, and his sharp fangs were showing.

"Y-You… I'll kill you!" he ran, but felt a sharp pain on his chest, that move made his wounds open. A loud thud drew his attention, and he saw an Oran Berry right in front of him.

"...Take it and leave," Meggie said. "This battle is getting drawn out, I think you should might be our enemy, but… I don't want to see anyone dying. Enjoy your second chance!"

Lunick whined, not understanding why she did that, he was her enemy, and would kill her if he had the chance! Despite that, the pain was only getting stronger, and if he took too long, not even that berry would work.

"Your Lucario friend will regret this. This wound?" Lunick barked. "He did it! I could have died!"

"Lance would never—"

"He said my life was worthless. Is that the kind of guy you call your friend?"

Meggie flinched. She only knew Lance for six months, but that Lycanroc had to be lying! Right? She couldn't trust the words of a criminal. She wanted to ask more, but Lunick had already left.

_This world… I wonder how my world is. If it's so violent as this one._

Still unsure if what Lunick said was true, Meggie sat on the floor. For now, she decided to trust Lance, and hope for the best, even if did intend to kill Lunick, maybe that was just how things worked there. She looked at the sky, feeling uneasy.

_Scar was right as well. I need to help others, and if I did that with Lance, then… Maybe I'll be able to go home eventually._

She looked at the Lucario, who was sleeping like a baby. Meggie smiled, feeling a bit better after that whole ordeal. Now that she had to guard, she had time to think about herself, and that made her remember the dream.

_Was that my human life? I don't understand… What kinda city looks like that? Come on, brain!_

Something stirred inside her, that name she saw on the call felt familiar, even if Meggie couldn't quite know what it meant. Another, creepier thought came to her head: she concluded that the missing Pokémon were related to Mega Evolution and was able to do that because she was human.

_O-Oh. OH!_

Morgan was also able to do that, since he was the one behind all the kidnappings.

"Is… Is he like me?!"


	28. Dungeon 26 - Machiavellian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter I was looking forward to writing since the very beginning, when I was planning Lance's backstory. I really hope you all enjoy this one. Let's go.

"Finally! No more walking in the desert for us!"

Meggie took her time to shake the sand off her body, giggling to herself. After days of travelling, they were now in front of the town they had been traveling to: Sandune.

"This is interesting… Are you sure your spies have leads?" Lance asked, looking at Scar.

"Correct. This town was supposedly built on top of ancient ruins, and they have the biggest library of Eutrios."

Lance gave a faint smile. "Hm, you like reading too? Interesting, I had no idea."

"I am a mon of literate, mister Williams."

Meggie soon joined them. "So! What's our plan?"

Scar looked at the gates. If they weren't in such a hurry, perhaps he could check the book section.

"One of my spies will meet us in a hotel. We also need to remove our weapons and keep them there, the place we're going is not… legal."

Lance shivered. After all those years, he was finally there, mere steps away from confronting someone that ruined his entire childhood. The entire reason he acted like he did.

_Nature versus nurture…_

A feeling came up, but he ignored it with a growl.

* * *

Meggie looked at the large buildings, comparing them with those of her dream the day before. Her human life must have been great if she lived in such a technological town! Then again, dreams could be random, maybe that wasn't an accurate description of her life.

Someone called her name, drawing her attention. She looked up, seeing they were in front of another building. Lance was staring at Meggie, as if to tell her to hurry. She could see he was anxious, even sweating.

"Okay, let's go!"

Going through the tedious process of checking in the hotel didn't take long, and they all went upstairs to their individual rooms.

Scar sat on his bed. That place was just comfortable enough for him not to complain, having a desk and a large window overlooking the city. He hoped that mission would prove to be successful; they needed at least some advantage over the scientist.

He heard knocking, taking him out of his trance. Once the others entered, they began to plan.

Lance crossed his arms, listening to every detail Scar was about to say. _I can do this,_ he thought.

"Alright. First, we need to meet one of my Gengar, he said he would be waiting at this hotel's restaurant, so we won't draw attention to ourselves," he took a small pause and continued. "Once we're done with the meeting, we will go to the place where the bid's happening."

Lance clenched his fist, still trying to process. If Gallade's previous actions were anything to go by, he would be kidnapping someone again, and in a place like a black market, nobody would bat an eye.

_I'll make him pay… I swear! He won't get away with this!_

That infuriated him, and without Lance noticing, his feelers flared up, and a small, flaming aura sprouted on his hand. Only when he heard the others calling him did he stop, taking a deep breath.

Scar looked at him, trying to calm the Lucario down. "Mister Williams, I am aware you're feeling anxious, but please, we're doing this to stop him."

Meggie nodded. "Yeah! We're gonna kick his ass! No more kidnapping!"

Despite her words, Meggie had to think about what Morgan really waswas. That theory she had before made sense every time she stopped to think about it. Indeed, this was an important day for her as well.

"T-Thank you… Your support makes me happy. I'll try to calm down and focus on the mission, alright?"

"Good. Let's go, the Gengar should be down already."

* * *

Scar was correct. As soon as the trio stepped into the restaurant, they saw one Gengar with a lot of plates, eating like a beast. Lance sighed and sat on a table next to the ghost, and the others did the same.

"Heya, boss!" the ghost said, munching on a large pie. Lance could smell a bunch of berries in that dessert, but kept his mouth shut, not caring in the slightest.

"Greetings," Scar said. "Now, we should get straight to business. Where is the bid happening?"

"Oh, sure! YOu gotta follow the street until you see an alley. there's an Orbeetle guard in front of the place; just pay him and you're free to explore the market!"

"That's… It? Seems a bit easy, don't you think?" Meggie asked, tilting her head.

The Gengar continued. "Well, that place is pretty secure, but if you break the rules there… Well, you're gonna become a ghost pretty quick!"

Meggie blinked, confused at what he meant with her evolution. That didn't matter much, though, as long as they were safe and sound by the end of that mission.

"Ok. Looks like we got our goal, shall we move, then?" Lance questioned.

"I mean, I'm kinda hungry… We've been travelling for days, I need some food!"

Scar's stomach growled, and he blushed a bit. "Ah, I agree with her. Let us have a feast before the mission starts, alright?"

Lance reluctantly accepted the idea.

* * *

They all left the hotel satisfied with the food, and were now ready for the journey ahead. Following Gengar's instructions, the three Pokémon walked around the street, until they saw the first alley. Lance noticed a giant sign with the shape of a Orbeetle, so he assumed that was the place and went inside.

His assumption was correct, and at the end of the corridor, they saw the bug, folding all his arms. Orbeetle stared at them and mumbled something, but they couldn't hear.

Scar was the first to approach, wearing a friendly smile. "Greetings, I am Scar, and those are my companions. We're trying to get inside the black market, could you let us in?"

"400 poké each. Once you pay me, you're getting in."

Meggie stared in shock. That was too expensive! Enough to have a complete meal in a fancy restaurant back home. She pouted, when Scar took a bunch of coins from his bag, handling them to Orbeetle. "Is that enough?"

Orbeetle counted the money for a few minutes and nodded, opening a large, metallic door right behind him. "Enjoy your stay. Don't cause trouble and don't do anything suspicious. Got it?" He stared directly at Meggie, who gulped.

"Of course. Let's go." Lance said.

* * *

They went down a set of stairs and were now in a large corridor, where some Pokémon were walking in and out; each carried a bag. Meggie sniffed the air, smelling blood. That gave her a dizzy feeling, and she looked at her friends; none of them seemed bothered by that scent.

_Huh, weird._

"I have a question, Scar," Lance said. "How do you have so much money? Brian and I have our allowances, but still, that was a bit much…"

Scar chuckled. "Ha. When you have powerful allies, money is not a problem. See, I have financial support from the king of Cydonia."

Lance blinked. "...Huh, I didn't expect that. Interesting."

Meggie rolled her eyes; geography wasn't her greatest strength, especially in this world, so she didn't even know what they were talking about. She raised her hand. "Okay, for those of us who have no idea what Cydonia is, could you explain?"

Scar looked at her, smiling. "A kingdom far in the west, led by a Tyrantrum. It's a rare case of government here, since it's a monarchy. But still, the king and I are good friends."

Lance sighed, he never liked monarchies. The leaders were prone to doing anything if it meant they would stay in power. If Lance was in that position of power, however… things would be different, he was sure of it.

They found themselves near another door, entering a new room.

* * *

More of the metallic scent of blood filled Meggie's nostrils, making her feel sick. How could anyone even stand a place like that? It felt unnatural, and was filled with those stands, she even saw an Emboar eating what she recognized as a hamburger. She looked around; seeing a lot of tents. The closest one to them had a Jolteon on the front, grinning at them.

"Hello, newcomers!" the Jolteon said with a feminine voice. "Would you like to have some of our specialty? We have the finest cuisine here!"

"...What?" Meggie sighed, she wanted to back away, but that might raise some suspicion. They had to act naturally.

Jolteon continued. "You see, today's special meal is a nice, roasted Archen! We're also making a special deal! If you buy this, you get a Buizel stew! I assure you, I am the best cook in the continent!"

"I'm flattered, but we had breakfast already. I'm sorry, we're here for the bid, alright?" Lance answered, walking away from the tent with his companions.

Meggie was trying her best not to vomit. In the way to the building, she passed through multiple tents, each having another form of trauma. She even saw someone selling organs. She couldn't believe this, how could they do something like that? The dream of getting back home was getting stronger every minute.

She saw herself back in the city, this time, inside a building, walking towards a machine… it felt odd, but her mind told her it was called an "elevator".

The machine started, raising her to the highest floors of the building, and her heart was racing, she wanted to scream and get out of there, but her body didn't move. With all her strength, Meggie looked down, she was still wearing that coat. But now something new came to her mind, who was that doctor Jones?

The elevator made a large noise and seemed to speed up, while she was still trapped. That was awful, it was like it was closing in on her, crushing her body until…

* * *

"Meggie!"

She snapped back to reality, and saw Lance staring at her. That was another vision, wasn't it? The closer she got to Gallade, the more she felt… weird. Meggie didn't know exactly what that meant, but knew she had to move forward to find out.

They were in front of a big line, next to a large building. That was where the bid was supposed to happen, right? At the end was a Kangaskhan. Strangely enough, she didn't have any child in her pouch.

"Hm, who are you three?" she turned around to face them.

Lance stepped forward."Nobody you need to know, we're on this bid as well, lady."

"Whatever, just don't get in my way," she growled.

 _I hope everything will be okay,_ Meggie looked down, still worried about the meaning behind her visions. She had a theory, but didn't want to believe in it.

The line moved as each of the Pokémon went inside that place. Lance was the last one to join, clenching his fists. It was now or never for him.

* * *

Scar looked at the hall, filled with chairs so they could sit, and a large stage where he assumed the host was going to be. He sat down with his allies and waited.

All the other Pokémon were talking amongst themselves, some theorized what the bid was all about, thinking that the host would ask for drugs, organs, or even some rare items nobody could find! That chattering continued without interruptions, until a Garchomp entered the stage. He cleared his throat to have their attention and smiled with a toothy grin.

"Hello, I'm Derek, and I'll be hosting this auction," he said. "I'm sure you all have questions, and I'll be answering them soon. First, I must tell you what I need from you."

More chattering, the rumors spread fast. Lance heard some of the conversations, and discovered that this particular Garchomp usually followed a Gallade around, said Gallade even set up a base in the market, it was a room in the back of the building they were in.

 _Son of a… I hate you,_ he growled, but kept himself together. That wasn't the time for panic.

Derek roared, stopping all the noise from the chat the Pokémon were having. Now that he had their attention again, he continued. "You see, my boss is a very busy mon, and he needs certain species for his project. Right now he's looking for any Pokémon that belongs to these evolution lines: Mudkip, Bulbasaur, and Pidgey. If any of you have, please tell me."

THe noises continued in a chaotic way. Arms were raised left and right, and Derek had to reject some of the offers, that was annoying, nobody had those Pokémon he was looking for? It felt unbelievable. Finally, another arm was raised, this time, a Kangaskhan did it.

"I have one, he's caged and has his wings broken, can't have them escaping, can I?"

Derek grinned. "Oh, thank you! My boss will be pleased with this. How much are you offering for that Pidgey?

Kangaskhan stomped on the floor in annoyance. "I'm sure your boss can make a deal with me, where can I meet him?"

"That's a bit complicated, but… I think we can arrange that. The rest of you are dismissed. As for you…" Derek pointed at Kangaskhan. "Follow me one hour from now, will that be enough time for you to get the Pidgey?"

Kangaskhan nodded. "Of course, that will suffice."

The audience dispersed in silence. Of all of those Pokémon, Lance was the most furious, although he restrained himself from doing anything harsh; he wanted to punch that Garchomp to death.

Another thought creeped Lance's head. This time, he wondered how different his life would be if he wasn't kidnapped. Maybe those mercs he took down six months ago would still be alive…

_It's worthless to think that. I'm me, and I'm… like this. I'll have my revenge… no, it's for justice. For all those other innocents whose lives he ruined!_

* * *

The team was in another alley, Gengar had brought them all their weapons, since he could walk on shadows and was the perfect stealth mon they had, since Brian was in another town.

Lance put his bracelets on while listening to what Scar was saying.

"Alright. Our best choice right now is to infiltrate Morgan's office. We have enough orbs to make us invisible, so we shouldn't have troubles with that part."

Meggie sighed, putting her tiara on. "Wait, there's another problem! If he's a Gallade, won't he just read our minds and know we're there?!"

"I doubt he's a good psychic. It takes years of practice to be able to read more than the external thoughts," Lance answered. "But you have a point. We can try to… not think too much, that might help."

Scar continued. "Correct. If we just stay calm, we can do this. Besides, It's harder for him to read my mind, as I'm half ghost."

Meggie looked down, still not convinced. "...If you say so."

* * *

Kangaskhan was walking around another corridor with the Pidgey inside her pouch. That bird had a muzzle on his beak, preventing him from attacking her, and like she said before, broken wings. He had no chance of escaping.

Once she was at the end of the hall, she saw Derek guarding the entrance to Morgan's office. He grinned at her

"Nice, you weren't lying. I was worried you were trying to trick us, but I guess I was wrong. The boss is waiting inside."

Kangaskhan nodded and got inside. Just as she did that, Derek found himself alone, until a Gengar appeared from inside his shadow, sticking out his tongue.

"W-What the…?"

Gengar ran away and Derek followed him, snarling and growling. That distraction worked, as the trio was now right in front of the office. Lance gulped, this was it. The moment he waited for since the kidnapping, he had to do this to move on and to ensure it wouldn't happen again. Yet, he froze, the anxiety getting the better of him.

Scar whispered. "...Mister Williams, now is not the time. We're nearly there."

The Kangaskhan walked out, they saw she didn't have the Pidgey anymore. When she was gone, they heard a warping sound. Lance looked at the door, it was still open, and he saw that Morgan had teleported the Pidgey.

That was the last straw, Lance fired an Aura Sphere right at the table Morgan was sitting at, exploding it into bits. The Gallade flinched, standing up.

Lance's heart pounded like it never did before, and the effects of the orb faded. He was now face to face with him.

Morgan stared at Lance, not recognizing him until he saw the scar. He smiled. "Number ten… you're alive? I'm impressed."

He couldn't move or do anything, anxiety kicking in, his body trembled in fear and his eyes widened. "Y-You monster!"

Meggie didn't waste any time and charged towards Morgan, only to hit the air as the Gallade teleported to the side, hitting her with a punch that drained her energy.

Scar was the next, jumping with his flaming club, he got shoved to the wall with telekinesis. Morgan chuckled again. "Was this what you expected, number ten? To have your friends hurt because of you? I used to think you were my best experiment, but you're still weak.

Lance gave one step forward, before his body shook again. "Y-You made me a monster…!"

He fell on his knees, no longer able to hold back the tears that streamed, crying out.

"Don't think even for a second that I'm one of you. I am superior to all of you… primitive creatures."

He found strength to raise his head and cry out. "Why?! Why did you do that? Why torture me?! I was a child!"

Morgan kept his cool and continued to talk. "I need to get back home. You and all my test subjects are means to an end. Nothing more than that. You think you're a monster? I merely let that side out. _All_ of you are beasts that only care for your own survival."

Lance wanted to throw up, his body felt like it would explode at any second and at the lowest moment, he realized Morgan was right. All that killing he did was of his own free will. He truly was… a monster.

The Gallade looked him straight in the eyes. "You don't understand what it means to be a human."

The Lucario raised his head. "Human?! You're like… Meggie?!" he stared at the Snorunt.

Morgan tilted his head, looking at her. "Meggie? What? Is that… really you? I thought you died in the accident!"

Suddenly, she knew what was going on! She was his assistant, that man, that Gallade knew who she was. But even if he did, what he was doing was wrong. "I-I don't know you!"

Lance stood up with all his might, firing another Aura Sphere. This one landed, making Morgan stumble back and weakening his psychic hold on Scar.

"Mister… no, Lance! This is our only chance! Take it!" Scar threw the Emera backwards, the stone fell right in front of Lance.

Morgan squeezed his palm, grabbing hold of Scar once more. "Ah, so it was you who was messing with my plans! Meggie, join me! Those creatures are disgusting, we're better than this!"

That Emera called out to him, clouding his thoughts of everything else. Lance could feel its energy, its power, it urged him to do it! Power… that's what he needed! Lance growled, showing all his sharp fangs. If he could become more powerful, he could end that fight!

"I'm… not your puppet! I am me, and I've always been me!"

Lance touched the stone and felt a wave of energy flowing into him, it was intoxicating and he gave a sadistic laugh. However, that laugh turned into a roar of pain that filled the air.

Morgan just stared at him, curious. Perhaps he could finally test what a Mega Lucario could do. Maybe that experiment wasn't a failure after all.

"Ha...Ha… HA!"

The energy overtook him completely, his cries turned into pleasure, even if he still felt all that pain, nothing mattered anymore. His gaze was fixated on Morgan and Morgan only, he was his enemy!

Lance's body shifted, his feelers grew longer and his bones snapped, reshaping into new, stronger ones. His tail also changed, becoming fluffier and moving in the air. Even his skin was transforming, streaks of red fur appeared all over him. That energy dissipated, and he roared like a beast, ready to fight.


	29. Dungeon 27 - Blurring Together in Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains more violence than usual. Viewer's discretion is advised.

Meggie watched as Lance's calm, collected demeanor crumbled apart. Her friend now stared at them, or more specifically, at the _Gallade_. Lance had the eyes of a crazy beast, his sharp fangs showed themselves as he grinned. The very air around him seemed to glow in a blue aura, much like his body. However, that glow changed into a purple color soon enough.

His blood-red eyes looked directly at Morgan. "For _everything_ you did to me all those years ago… you'll _pay_!"

Lance dashed forward so fast dust rose from the floor. He thrust his paw forward, forming an aura sphere. Once Lance launched it, the weapon hit a pink, almost translucent barrier of psychic power.

"W-What?!" Lance stumbled back, his heart was racing again. That failure made him shiver.

"Do you think I am that stupid?" Morgan raised his head. "A Reflect barrier, it might not be indestructible, but should be more than enough to restrain a failure like you."

Gallade, however, flinched, seeing a small crack on his barrier. Maybe this was a good opportunity to test Lance's limits.

"He's… not a failure!" Meggie shouted, trying to move. Despite her best efforts, the telekinetic hold she was in stopped her attempts.

Morgan only glared at her, his crimson eyes had a nostalgic look to them, and Meggie gulped. Were they really close?

_No, there's no way I know this psychopath…_

Lance hunched, his head throbbed inside, but that didn't matter anymore. Nothing but his revenge did.

"I am going to tear your stupid body apart—"

* * *

A loud stomp drew his attention. Lance turned around to face his new enemy: the Garchomp from before. Like him, the dragon was mega evolved. Lance snarled. There was no way anyone was getting in the way of his revenge!

"Derek," Morgan declared, smirking a bit. "Destroy him."

"Yes, bo—"

Derek received a full punch to his gut, enough to make him stagger, but before he could properly react, he was hit by two canons of metallic energy, launching him even further back to the entrance of the building. He panted, looking ahead: Lance was staring at him; the Lucario's hands were glowing in the same purple hue.

"Tsc!" Derek opened his mouth, releasing a strong stream of flames on his opponent.

However, once the flames hit Lance, they dispersed, turning purple from the canine's aura. He was spinning a staff made of pure aura, and his bracelets were glowing in that same tone. His weapon soon dissipated and he lunged at Derek.

"You're… pathetic! No wonder the boss threw you away!" Derek dashed at Lance, trying to use his scythes to cut him. However, that was interrupted by two staffs of aura that Lance firmly held together.

"Interesting," Morgan paid attention to the bracelets Lance had around his arms. "Where did you get that, number ten?"

"Brother… gave me!" Lance cried out, doing his best to hold the scythes.

"Hm, this is curious. However, there's no time for this. Finish him, Derek."

Lance roared, kicking Derek on his belly. That was enough for the Garchomp to retreat, only to receive a bite on his arm. He screamed in pain, while Lance bit him deeper, enough to draw blood on his scales.

"Y-You…" Derek opened his mouth to release another flamethrower, but Lance took a chunk out of his skin, and Derek howled because of the pain.

* * *

Blood dripped on the floor, but Lance showed no signs of stopping, even after he spit out the piece of flesh, his teeth, now red, only made him look more deranged.

"I… can't decide," Lance finally said, slowly marching towards Derek. His fur stood on end, giving Lance the appearance of a wild Pokémon, and to make matters worse, he cackled in laughter all the way.

"What?!" Derek panted, slowly standing up. He could barely feel his left arm because of the bite from before, and his heart raced. There had to be _something_ he could do!

"If you should live or die…" Lance continued. He created two more spheres, but they changed shape, turning into large blades.

"L-Lance, stop!" Meggie shouted, trying to move. With all her strength, she turned to Scar. "Can't you do something?!"

Scar kept quiet, thinking. Right now, they were both trapped, and Lance couldn't control himself anymore. For now, they were fine, but if Lance were to attack them…

"He lost it," Morgan looked back. "Like most others, he's berserk. It's a shame that most of you savages can't control this power, but at least he's gonna destroy himself."

Lance turned around, now pointing his blades to the barrier. "I am _not_ a savage. You're a monster, Morgan!"

"Says the one who's fighting with his teeth."

Lance lunged again, his paws glowing, when he felt teeth around his legs; Derek was returning the favor and spun around, throwing Lance to the floor with enough force it cracked.

"A-Argh!" Lance cried out, his leg didn't move, even with his best efforts.

This time, Derek was the one to attack, biting Lance's arm. Even with the pain, the Lucario didn't quit. Instead, he took that opportunity to touch Derek's belly, making it glow purple.

"...Wha? NO!" Derek protested, but fell on his knees, it was like his energy was being sucked away into Lance. Even the mega evolution faded away.

"Mister Williams, no!" Scar protested, but the psychic pressure on him stopped the Marowak from moving.

"W-What's wrong?! What is Lance doing?!" Meggie asked, that scene made her spine shiver.

"He's absorbing aura! Lance, cease it this instant! You're going to die!"

Derek, on the other hand, began to panic. His thoughts slowed down, focused more on his survival, and he growled, the only sound that came out of his mouth.

Morgan blinked. "I didn't know this was possible…"

Lance's laughter filled the entire room, he didn't want to stop, that intoxicating sensation clouded his thoughts even more. His wounded leg began to heal, becoming another scar.

"Hm, he used the aura to heal himself? How amusing. Derek, we're leaving!"

Only when he saw Derek's body fading into red energy did he stop, confused at that. Morgan was holding a white and red capsule, where what once was Derek's body was sucked into.

"That's… a Pokéball!" Meggie cried out, recognizing that capsule from her visions.

"What is that abomination?!" Scar roared, looking at Morgan.

"It's really curious how long it took for me to make my own. Meggie, won't you join me?"

She didn't answer anything to that question. Morgan made the barrier disappear, approaching Lance.

Lance shivered, his body paralyzed in that one spot where all he wanted was to run away. He looked down, screaming his lungs away. Something grabbed his head, forcing him to look up; there, he saw Gallade, smirking.

"Even with all that power, you're still weak."

That distraction was enough for Scar to throw his club at Morgan's head. The Gallade turned around, and multiple clones of him appeared in the area, until a blinding light surrounded them.

"I'm sure we'll meet again, Meggie."

Once the glow faded, Morgan was gone.

"Weak…" Lance fell on his knees, punching the floor until his hands began to bleed.

Scar was the first to leave the office and run to Lance's side, and narrowly dodged a claw attack from the Lucario, who stared at him with dead eyes.

"Mister Williams, we're your friends… please, do not attack us!"

Instead of doing that, Lance collapsed in pain, like his entire body was burning apart from the excess aura he took, he thrashed around the floor, everything hurt no matter what he did to try and calm down.

Meggie was still trying to process it all. She began to cry, not knowing what to do. She looked ahead, and saw Lance passing out from exhaustion, his body was back to normal.

"We need to leave!" Scar shouted. Meggie ran towards them, and with the white light of an orb, they left that area.

* * *

Nothing could make Meggie leave that hotel room, even after hours passed after the battle. She stared at the building, too many things happened that day.

_That ferocity… this world is always like this?_

She clenched her fists. Maybe Morgan was right… but Lance was hurt. Right now, she tried to ignore those questions, and hoped that her friend was okay. However, there was something she just couldn't shake off.

_What if I'm like him? That Gallade has his memories, but I don't… what if I recover them and end up like him?_

"I…"

Silence. Nobody was there, and that only made things worse. Meggie didn't know what to do! If only she could talk to someone!

_I don't know… if I wanna stay here anymore. But that man! He's insane!_

Something stirred inside Meggie, some primal feeling of hopelessness, despite the lack of sound, it all felt deafening and that alone terrified her.

"Somebody help me!"

More silence. She plopped her face into the pillow and began to cry. Maybe that was for the best.

* * *

Lance woke up in a hospital bed. He was the only patient in the room, and somehow his head felt a lot heavier than it should be. Because of that, he didn't even move, the memories of today were already on his mind.

"He's still alive…"

He knew Morgan deserved to die. All the crimes he commited, all the pain he brought to countless innocents made Lance's stomach grumble, and he had to hold his vomit in place.

_Why? Why couldn't I just… do it? He was right in front of me! I should have finished it right there!_

Lance finally sat on the bed, taking time to organize his thoughts. He even went as far as to take someone's aura! That was a taboo for his species, or at least that's what he heard from his dad.

_Right, if dad was here… I could talk to him about this._

He couldn't help but be ashamed of himself, because Morgan was still free, and worse of all: he knew Meggie.

_Meg… how much does she know about herself? What if she's on his side?!_

His mind wandered back to all the time he spent together, she didn't give any signs of being able to betray them.

_Aura doesn't lie…_

Lies. He lied so much to his team, none of them knew just how broken Lance was after everything. In that moment, Lance thought about what they would think of him if they found out. Would they abandon him? He didn't want to disappoint them, but he thought he was doing the right thing.

"Greater good, huh?"

Even if he had that sense of justice, the fact he couldn't even _attack_ Morgan stung. What if… he was wrong? What if that wasn't the right thing? He shook his head, trying to ignore that. Doubts would only make things worse and he needed to focus on the mission.

_...That's right, the mission! I still have a chance, I can put an end to him!_

Trying to convince himself, Lance laughed at the madness of it all. His maniacal chuckling even made tears stream down. What was he doing with his life?

_I did my best to make the world a better place, rid of filth like… him._

His thoughts shifted again. This time, he remembered that fateful day where he took the life of an Aggron he was searching for. That feeling of power, of being in control was amazing. However, if things were different, maybe Atlas would be his ally.

_No! I am not like him! O-Or… am I?!_

At that point, he didn't know anymore what to do or what he was. Was he always like this? Or was it his upbringing from his captive days?

"...Who am I?"

"Mister Williams, I assure you, everything will be alright."

Lance saw Scar standing in front of the door and closing it. At the very least, his friends were okay. But then he remembered something.

"Meggie… how is she?" Lance looked away in shame.

"She's fine. At least physically, although I want to know a few things, like how she knew about Morgan…"

"She's a human. That's all I know," Lance looked at him again. "I guess that means Morgan is a human as well, since he recognized her…"

Scar blinked, weren't humans a myth? Still, he was well aware of how myths could have some sort of truth in them.

"Ok. I got it, that explains a few things, still, I want to know more about what you're going through."

"What… why are you doing this? What do you gain from all of this?"

"Nothing, I'm here to listen to what you have to say," Scar sat on one of the chairs, looking at Lance. "Obviously, you're not well. Would you like to share? I promise not to judge you."

He didn't know why, but Lance felt compelled to answer and tell him everything. Something about that Marowak made it easy for Lance to trust him, and just in case, he checked the aura, sensing it was normal.

"Please, go on, mister Williams. I've had my fair share of suffering, I can… take whatever you throw at me, for lack of a better word."

"...I wanted to kill him."

Scar didn't even flinch. "I see, can you elaborate?"

His ears twitched. Scar somehow didn't react to that? Regardless, that was a sign he could continue.

"I killed before. Six months ago, I was on a mission with my brother. I lured three mercenaries into a dungeon and… I killed one of them, dousing him in lava."

Scar blinked, nodding. Lance tilted his head and continued. "The thing is, I didn't regret that. I killed to survive when I was little, when that… monster kidnapped me, but those guys? It was different. I felt powerful."

"You feel conflicted," Scar finally said something. "You came here with the intention to do the same with Morgan, and yet—"

"I couldn't do it," Lance looked down, whining. "Even after everything, I didn't have the strength to do it…"

Scar looked at him straight in the eye. "Understandable. Mister Williams, you are a victim. I don't think you're entirely on the wrong here."

Lance's ears perked up. "Y-You mean it?! But… maybe I was wrong in thinking like this. Maybe I shouldn't have killed them."

"And what makes you think that?"

"If I spared someone that brought nothing but pain and suffering, why didn't I do it for those three? They were victims as well."

Marowak didn't have an immediate answer to that question. Instead, he took his time to think about what he would say.

"I understand. You need to think about the future, mister Williams… this battle was rough, I can tell. Not only did you lose control, but you're hurt."

Lance looked at the new scar he had, a bite mark on his leg. "Still, I took his aura, I… wasn't supposed to do that."

"Yet, you did it. Again, you're a victim. You need time to think," Scar stood up. "For what is worth, mister Williams, I'm not judging your decisions."

"Why?" Lance raised his head, whining again. "Why aren't you freaking out over this? I just confessed murders!"

Scar closed his eyes. For just one moment, Lance could see the faintest of smiles.

"In the end, everything will be forgiven. I'm… a firm believer of Necrozma. If you like, I could read you some of the things I gathered after many years of searching."

"Necrozma? Hm, I see…" Lance laid down again, looking at the ceiling.

"As a matter of fact, I would like to know more about your decision. Once you've made up your mind, tell me."

"...I'm not sure. I don't know what I'm going to do anymore."

Scar looked at him again, raising his head. "Let me tell you something, mister Williams. It's something I learned after years of life experience: when we're at our lowest point, we're open to the greatest change."

With that, Lance was left alone with his thoughts again. He was too tired to think properly, and soon fell asleep.

* * *

Morgan walked across the street with a cape covering his body to protect him from the heat. That last test was a failure, like he assumed, especially because someone he used to know didn't even recognize him.

Hmph. If she prefers this primitive world, then so be it. I need to go back home.

He stopped to see a red Lycanroc right in front of him. The wolf panted and sniffed the air, giving a toothy grin once he recognized the scent.

"Boss! I'm so happy to see you!"

Morgan had no expression. "Oh, it's you, Lunick. What brings you here? Did you finish your job?"

"Well, not really!" Lunick whined. "I-I mean, I followed my targets here, but they beat me up! There was this Lucario! Oh yeah, a Snorunt too, she healed me! I appreciate that, but we're still enemies!"

"...I know them. The Snorunt is my former assistant, while the Lucario is one of my old test subjects," a glare was all he gave Lunick. "So you're telling me that you failed."

Morgan's hand glowed pink, which made Lunick stumble back.

"N-No! Well, I did fail, but that's not the point! I have something that might be helpful!"

"Hmph. Tell me," his hand stopped glowing.

"T-That Lucario is a murderer, I think? He tried to kill me, even saying I'm worthless, maybe we can use that to our advantage?!"

"I suppose we can, if they're still after us… very well, you proved your worth," Morgan sighed. "Come with me, we're going back to HQ."

Lunick smiled. "Really?!"

"I need to get back to my second office to get the orb, but yes, we'll go back."

They walked away into another building. Morgan didn't really say anything on the way, but at least, he had another piece of canon fodder. Those creatures were only useful for that, anyway.

_And if you stop being useful, I'll just throw you in the garbage like all the others..._


	30. Dungeon 28 - Keep Holding On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After all the action the previous chapters had, this one is more of a "breather" chapter, so the cast can properly process everything that happened. With that being said, have fun reading this!

The way back home wasn't as pleasant as Lance hoped. Where once he was ecstatic to visit that large city, he now stood with his head lowered after the events that happened days ago. He needed some time to think, and so did his team; Meggie was also silent, while Scar held a book in his hands.

Even the weather was somber, rain clouds were forming high in the air and they could hear thunder every so often. Still, they entered the city, that familiar smell of steam making Meggie cough. Suddenly, Lance stopped, getting the attention of his teammates.

"I'm… going back home. You can meet up with the others," he mumbled. "L-Look, I need some time for myself."

"It's alright, mister Williams. We'll explain everything at the meeting. You deserve rest after… all that happened."

Meggie nodded in agreement, and Lance walked away towards his apartment. As for the other two, they were now heading to the guild.

* * *

Away from everyone else, Lance was finally free to stop holding his emotions in. The more he approached the building where he lived, the more everything seemed to weigh on him. He was barely able to move at all, it was like a Steelix was sitting on his back.

_I'm okay… this is just my brain saying things…! I'm gonna be okay!_

He laughed to try and distract himself, but it was pointless. His mouth felt dry, and Lance bit his lips. Just a few more minutes of walking and he would get there! To somewhere safe, where could cry his heart out!

_Just have to… keep holding… on!_

Lance nodded, taking deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. If he kept doing that, his panic would settle down… right? At least it was what he hoped. He could still feel sweat running through his fur and dripping on the ground.

Eventually, he used one of the light poles to balance himself, nausea kicking in. No! Lance needed to move! The entrance was right in front of him, he just needed a little push.

_Y-You… got this!_

After what felt like hours, Lance finally got inside the building, going straight to his apartment.

* * *

Finding the rest of the group wasn't hard for Scar. As soon as he went inside the guild, he could see Max and Brian playing a card game. He sighed and sat on the chair next to them. Meggie soon joined him.

"Whoa, heya, boss!" Max waved, giving his usual smile.

"Good morning!" Brian continued, shuffling the cards back into his bag. They didn't need to know what he was playing, anyway.

Meggie looked down again. How would Brian react if he knew she was an acquaintance of Morgan? She didn't want to know, at least for now.

"Where's Lilith?" Scar asked.

"Oh, yeah," the Electivire answered. "She, uh, she went to the hotel we're in. Said she was tired."

Brian chuckled. "I mean, we're all tired, but sure! Anyway, what's the news?!"

Max nodded, taking out the rainbow stone and the sphere. "We arrested two of the lackeys Morgan has, and we got one green orb, alongside one Emera!"

Meggie frowned. "That's… great."

"Oh yeah, I have something for you, Meg! We bought it on the way back!"

Brian smirked, taking out a cyan-colored stone from his mane and handing it to Meggie. She stared at it and put it on her purse.

"That's a Dawn Stone! Perfect for your evolution!" He said.

"O-Oh, really? Thanks…"

"Anyway!" Brian shifted his look to Scar. "What did you guys find?"

Scar muttered something, and raised his head. Might as well tell the whole story.

"We found… Morgan. We had a fight, unfortunately, mister Williams… went berserk. He used the Emera and lost control of his… mega evolution," he said. "Not only that, we also discovered two important things. First: he's a human. And seco—"

Brian punched the table, his fur standing on end. "W-Wait. Lance went berserk?! Where _is_ he?! Don't tell me he got kidnapped again!"

Meggie shivered. "W-Well, he said he wanted to be alone… he's home!"

"Just _great_! Did you get that Gallade?!"

Scar continued the explanation. "He got away. Lance, during his berserk state, began to absorb aura from one of his enemies. He—"

"Lance did _what_?!" Brian snarled. "What the fuck were you thinking?! He could've died!"

Scar looked directly into Brian's eyes. His club's flame burned brighter. "We are aware of that. It's why we sent him to the hospital right away. Right now, he recovered."

That made Brian calm down. He took a deep breath, when a thought came to his head. He had the means to break into Morgan's HQ. He could end that right now!

"Got it, got it. Lance is… fine, right? His life is not in danger? Did I get that right?!"

"Well, yeah!" Meggie agreed. She didn't speak much during the reunion, mostly because she didn't know what to say.

"Alright, then!" Brian took the orb from Max and dashed away without saying anything. Screw that! Defeating the Gallade was more important right now!

"H-He's getting away!" Max cried out.

That was the last straw. Meggie got out of the chair and followed him, running as fast as she could. Who cares if she knew the Gallade?! That was her friend!

* * *

The panic attack didn't stop, even when Lance went to his bedroom. His heart almost felt like it would explode, he heard the beats, the sound was so loud he couldn't hear _anything else_. With a slow pace, he jumped into his bed and turned around, staring at the ceiling.

_Calm down, calm down, calm down! Please, nothing will hurt me!_

His brain ignored that. Lance's aura sensors were twitching like crazy, and his eyes darted around the room. He tried screaming for help, but no words came out of his mouth. Everything was so stimulating it only made things worse!

"D-Dad, mom! Please, anybody, help… m… e…"

A new problem arised: Lance was breathing manually, and he couldn't stop it. All other thoughts shut down, and right now the only thing he could think of is to not stop breathing. Usually, that would mean a good thing, but the thought of death terrified Lance to the point he couldn't move.

It was like he was alone in a void, slowly losing his mind to that panic. There had to be something he could do to stop it. Something. Someone.

_Dad… mom, Brian, Meg… Uncles…_

The ones who always supported him, even with all the problems Lance has. His breathing calmed down a bit, he remembered a time where he was just a little kid, playing with his sibling and reading books.

_Y-Yeah, books are good…_

That was working. Slowly, Lance was overcoming the crisis. He felt his heart normalize its beating, and the entire ordeal made him even more tired. Maybe he needed some rest after all.

* * *

Scar tapped the table, thinking. Letting Brian charge into the unknown was dangerous and frankly, stupid. But he had the right idea, going there would be worth it in the grand scheme of things. If only the Zoroark had agreed on letting someone go with him…

"Hey, boss?" Max tilted his head.

Now back to reality, the Marowak looked at his teammate, sighing. Well, they had to at least try to put some sense in Brian's head.

"Maxwell. I need you to follow those two. I have a suspicion they want to raid whatever place that orb leads to."

"Alright! Sure, I can do it!" He said, body crackling with electricity.

With that, the Electivire also left the building. Scar stood up, looking at the book he was carrying. He opened one of the pages, but the words… they didn't make sense. Of course, it was an ancient book, written in a language he didn't know. To help with that, he went in the direction of the hotel they were in, to find Lilith.

* * *

Despite walking on literal lava, Lance didn't feel anything burning his feet. The worst part was that as far as he could see, there was only that burning magma. He kept walking, head lowered.

"What even _is_ this place…?"

It came to him, that place was eerily similar to that one dungeon he was in months ago. The place where he killed one of the mercenaries he was chasing. If this was fate's idea of karma, it had nothing better to do; Lance didn't feel any remorse. He did the right thing.

"Or… did I?"

The lava moved, and before Lance could react, he felt something grabbing him. Looking down, he saw a rocky hand, much like an Aggron's. He gasped, trying to pull himself away, only for another hand to show up, this one was scaly and green: a Servine.

"G-Get off me! L-Leave me alone, please!"

More and more hands grabbed him, dragging Lance down the lava. He looked up, seeing the faces of his family and friends, they all looked down on him, disappointed in his actions.

Lance shivered while the lava drenched more of his body, and a small tear appeared on his face.

Something pulled him out of there and ragged Lance to solid ground. He coughed and saw his savior: a Tyrunt. The small Pokémon had a happy smile and was holding a paper with the mission request.

"Y-You're that one… that asked me to solve your dad's case…!"

"Thank you, mister! Daddy can rest in peace!"

Lance tilted his head. "I… did good?"

* * *

He woke up in cold sweat, screaming to himself. Lance groggily stood up, before dizziness hit him and he fell down to the bed again.

Was his dream trying to tell him something? To ease his pain, perhaps. Nonetheless, the murders he committed still stung to him, but right now, he felt a bit better.

_I… maybe I'm not in the wrong. Maybe, just maybe… I am really doing the right thing. Am I?_

His thoughts shifted to the hospital he was in a few days before, where he confessed everything. Scar seemed to be the only one who would support him.

Lance covered his face with his paw and closed his eyes, trying to sleep again.

* * *

Brian kept running as fast as he could, even with the heavy rain that began to fall on the city. His mane was damp, even covering most of his forehead. Brian shook the fur off his face and continued, stopping in the middle of a bridge.

"This should do it!"

He held the orb on his hand. This was it, wasn't it? He could just smash that thing and teleport to Morgan's HQ. Where he would find and beat the crap out of him! That was his goal, that Gallade had gone unpunished for too long!

_If Lance was here, he would say that I'm being reckless… but I'm doing this for him!_

Brian was smart, and would think of a plan eventually. He had to. Going in there blind wouldn't work, he knew it. Thunder struck again, and he flinched.

"W-Whoa! Geez, is Kyogre that mad?!"

Just him in that mission. It was crazy, but he'd done crazier things. Like pranking one of the teachers at the guild, leaving him with a suspension. Sure, his dad wasn't happy, but that was a fun prank.

"Oh well… enough with the memories!" Brian shook his head, and heard the sound of footsteps.

Behind him was Meggie. She looked down on the ground and was waiting for Brian to speak with her.

"H-Hey! You followed me, huh? Sorry Meg, but I have to do this by myself!"

"...No."

"What do you mean _no_?! That guy has kidnapped children again! I have to stop it!"

Meggie raised her head, showing the tears that she had. She approached Brian even more, rubbing the tears off her face.

"I-I… I know him. I know the Gallade. He's human… like me."

His response was a mix of shock and anger. Brian stared at her, eyes widening.

"You w-what? How?!"

She continued. "I don't… remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure I used to work for him."

He snarled, forming a ball of ghostly energy on his hand. He aimed at Meggie, the snarl got louder.

"You _work_ for the mon that ruined my family?! Meggie! I thought I could trust you!"

She shivered. Of course that would be his reaction. Who would accept that? Who would accept… her? She didn't even flinch. Instead, Meggie stayed where she was, only looking at Brian.

"Sorry… I don't remember it, but for what is worth… I want that Gallade gone too!"

"S-Shut up!" Brian fired the Shadow Ball, but it hit the floor instead. He panted.

Meg backed away. "Brian, I saw what he does! I may have known him before, but… I'm nothing like him! Please! We've been friends for six months!"

She took the team's badge and showed him it. Her hands were shaky, and Meggie was barely able to hold the badge.

"Do you have _any_ idea how much this hurt my brother?! He was never the same after that day!" Brian shouted, raising his claws in the air.

"I promise… I'll do everything I can to stop him! Lance _knows_ about this, and… well, he's fine? I-I mean, not emotionally fine, but still…!"

Brian stopped. Even if she did work for him, she had no memories, and surely Lance would let him know if he sensed something weird about that girl, right? He was acting on impulse, she was his friend… Brian lowered his arm.

Meggie's purse glowed in a bright, blue light for a few seconds, before stopping. "I-I'll go with you! I don't want… anyone to die anymore. I don't want that scientist to harm anybody else ever again!"

But if she _was_ a criminal, Brian could make the same mistake he did with the steel ones: trusting them. "I… let's make a deal, Meggie. I'll let you come with me, but if I see any signs of you betraying me… I'll take you out!"

Meggie sighed, defeated. "That's not exactly what I had in mind, but… thank you. I accept those conditions. Brian, We got this!"

"Congrats, y'all!"

Max was there with them as well. He clapped his long, yellow hands and approached the two.

"Oh, hey…" Brian said.

"I can see you're going to break in! I love that, can I come too?!"

Meggie frowned. "Oh, yeah. We are allies. Brian… what do you think?"

The Zoroark was already grinning. He planned to do that mission alone, but the more, the merrier! So Brian nodded, raising his arm that was holding the orb.

"Are we all ready to kick some ass?!"

They all agreed, and Brian smashed the orb into the ground, transporting them all away.


	31. Dungeon 29 - The Vengeful One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking longer than usual to publish this chapter. Personal stuff and mental health prevented me from writing this. However, I managed to do it in the end. Hope you all enjoy.

The sound of something breaking made Brian wake up. He got out of his bunk bed, cursing his quadruped stance and took a look around. Right in front of him, Lance was on his knees, and Brian saw him crying, smoke coming out of the Riolu's paw, and the carpet had scorch marks.

"L-Lance… are you okay?"

He raised his head, blue energy coming out of his paw. Lance backed away, but could hardly move before trembling in fear. Whatever happened with him, Brian could tell he was panicking.

Brian gave one step ahead, causing his sibling to back away again. "H-Hey! You're gonna be okay! We're safe in our house, Lance! Nobody's gonna attack you!"

"Leave me ALONE!" Lance cried out, his Force Palm dissipated and he fell on his knees again, crying.

"Did… you have a nightmare again?" his ears drooped.

No words came out of Lance's mouth, only serving to confirm Brian's suspicions. He bit his lip, pulling his brother in a tight embrace. That was exactly what Lance needed right now, Brian knew it.

The fox hugged him tighter. "Don't worry… I'll… protect you! Nothing like that will ever happen again!"

Lance nodded, but Brian knew he didn't believe him. At that moment, he could hear his brother's heartbeat. It was frantic, almost like Lance was running a marathon. Just… what happened in that place? Brian whined. He was still too weak. But maybe, just maybe… he could get stronger.

* * *

Brian's eyes snapped open, and he now found himself in a strange place. In the middle of a long corridor that had a divide from left to right. He could also hear faint, sobbing voices. His ears drooped. So the orb _did_ work, and they were now in Morgan's HQ.

"Hey."

His mane got pushed by something, and Brian looked down to see that it was Meggie.

"What do you want?"

Meggie pouted. "Well… what's the idea? Where are we even going? It's not like we have a map of this place or anything…"

Brian rolled his eyes. "The fuck are you talking about? We just find the guy and beat him!"

Max tapped his foot on the floor. "She has a point, y'know? We can't just waltz in and expect to take him down. We need a proper plan and you know it!"

He hissed, fur standing on end. Maybe bringing those two with him wasn't a good idea. They would just get in the way of his revenge. No, it wasn't revenge. It was for someone he cared about, so it was justified.

"If you're not going to help me, then just… don't get in my way!"

With that, Brian stood on all fours, and began to run across the corridor, ignoring everything he could hear his companions saying. That didn't matter anymore, he had a job to do.

* * *

It was easier said than done. None of those corridors made any sense. Sure, he could read some of the signs on the walls, but mostly, Brian was just walking around. Eventually, his pace slowed because of a detail he saw on his left.

Claw marks. The wall had claw marks on it that seemed to continue all the way to the end of the hall. Brian gulped; he could only imagine the suffering everyone that got kidnapped had to deal with.

Flashes of his childhood came to mind, after his brother went back home. Lance had changed, he became a bitter version of himself. Oh, how awful that must have been. None of them deserved it!

 _This must be where he kept… his victims,_ Brian clenched his fists, walking again. _Weird, though. I have no clue how long he's been doing this, but nobody seems to bat an eye…_

He continued his strolling, trying to shake off feelings of guilt and sorrow, because he knew those wouldn't help. Instead, he focused on all the rage and bitterness he could muster, so he would have the strength to take that Gallade down.

_I can do this. I can—_

Brian stopped abruptly. One of the rooms drew his attention because of the number written on it: ten. Oh no. His reaction was to try and force the door open, but it was locked. Even so, Brian didn't stop his attempts to enter the room.

_Lance, I'll get you back! You can count on me! I'll protect you! I'll… pro…tect you._

Snapping back to reality, Brian looked down, ears drooping. His mind thought about something else. What about all the other victims? Lance got lucky, but everyone else… every single one of them needed closure. And Brian was here to do just that.

"Yeah… this isn't just for Lance. All those victims. Everyone. They're… counting on me!"

Brian stood up, flexing his claws. With a newfound resolve, he put his goggles on. No more crying, no more regret. This day would end in his victory.

Or so he thought. Brian's ears twitched and he narrowly dodged a punch. His opponent came crashing down right in front of him. A red Lycanroc.

"Heya…" the wolf smirked. "I heard your little speech there. That Lucario a friend of yours?"

Brian sprung back, a black energy ball forming on his hand. "H-How do you know my brother?!"

His opponent smirked even more, rubbing his claws on the wall. Brian prepared to fire the Shadow Ball, but waited to see if he would get an answer.

"Oh? He's your brother? Damn! If my sibling was as much of a prick as yours I'd—"

Lunick got interrupted by a Shadow Ball crashing directly into his chest. The move made him trip and grunt in pain. He couldn't relax, however, as Brian was soon jumping towards him with his claws glowing crimson. The wolf's arm also glowed red, and he punched Brian's hand.

The clash didn't go on Brian's favor, as he was thrown across the floor, grazing his back. His opponent didn't waste any opportunities, however, and he dashed forward, arms glowing with draconic energy.

"Fuck off…!" Brian opened his mouth, releasing a stream of flames on the wolf. He dodged it by ducking, but was then hit by another Shadow Ball.

The wolf fell on his knees, screaming in pain. He began to claw on the floor. "You piece of shit! First your brother tries to kill me… and _then_ you too!"

Brian panted. "I have… no clue what you're talking about! Lance would never do that! I-I mean… not without being forced to!"

"You're… an idiot!" Lunick got up, but an idea came to mind. He licked his lips.

"Maybe, but I'm not the one working for some random psycopath who likes to kidnap and torture others!" He snarled, preparing another Night Slash.

Lunick pointed to his chest, where the wound he received days before was, still fresh and now bleeding. Brian's eyes widened at the sight of the cut.

"...Who did that to you?!"

Lunick kept his smirk. "Gee, I don't know… maybe some crazy, bloodthirsty Lucario? Did I mention that he belittled me? Oh, what a _wonderful_ sibling you have!"

Brian whined, not believing that to be the case. Sure, maybe Lance did hurt him, but he wouldn't go as far as to kill… right? That Lycanroc _had_ to be lying about something. Brain couldn't believe it.

"Y-You're… lying!" Brian finally snapped. He charged at Lunick, using another clawed attack.

The wolf chuckled, dodging every attempt Brian made to hit him, while laughing all the way. How amusing that whole scenario was! He had complete control of the fight, and so wanted to toy with Brian a little longer.

"The boss told me everything… about the whole experiment! Would you like to know your brother's kill count?!"

"...Shut up! He was forced to do that!" Brian screamed, punching Lunick right on his face, who didn't even react, not even when he received another punch.

"Oh, sure!" Lunick laughed. "That might've been the past, but check this out… I'm sufficient proof, aren't I? Why is it so hard to believe in me? That Lucario wouldn't just change!"

Brian backed away. He began to ponder everything that happened during his journey. From the day they began to travel, to the point where they took down the mercenaries. That fateful day. Brian knew what happened with the Empoleon, but… he couldn't see the whole fight Lance had with Atlas. And in the end, the Aggron died too.

 _No… Lance… wouldn't!_ He shook it off, accidents could happen, after all. That Lycanroc was just trying to trick him!

"Are you done with the memory thing? Let's fight, asshole!"

Brian received a scratch on his cheek, seeing the blood droplets fall. Lunick was too close, so he used the chance to kick him in the stomach.

As expected, that made the wolf fall down, trying his best to breathe. The action terrified Brian, he used too much brute force!

Lunick, despite the pain he felt, still wanted to have the last laugh. "...Heh. Are you gonna leave me to die here, like your brother did?"

Brian snarled, clenching his fist. "He… didn't do that! I know him!"

More laughter. Somehow, what Lunick was saying… made a bit of sense, even with Brian's efforts to dismiss it. Doubt was already settled inside his brain.

"I have a sibling too, I know… how it works!" Lunick stood up. "They don't tell us everything, right? Y'know, secrets can be toxic! You might want to cut ties!"

"Shut up… Shut UP!" Brian then snapped his fingers, turning invisible.

Lunick felt a shiver running down his spine as everything went dark. Not a single thing could be seen by him, it was complete darkness. He knew the reason, that was an illusion! But even so… there was nothing he could do. His world went black.

* * *

"That idiot! Running off like this!" Max punched the wall. He was walking with Meggie through another one of the hallways that the building had.

Meggie whined and rolled her eyes. "...I kinda wanted to know where this place is. It just feels… weird. How did nobody come here after all these years? Especially with all the victims…"

Max just shrugged. "The Mawile said she saw rubble near the entrance. Maybe we're in some kinda ruins? I dunno."

"Well, that isn't very helpful…"

"Whatever," he sighed. "I also have a question. Are… you okay? As an ally, I need to make sure we're on the same page here."

Meggie stopped, looking down. Why didn't they stop with all the questions? Still, it was rude not to answer them, even if she wasn't exactly comfortable with the whole situation. Her memories were going on and off, and that monster… she used to know. She didn't want to deal with him, yet there she was, right at the eye of the storm.

"As okay as 'Hey, it turns out your former boss is the same Pokémon that hurt your friends and is kidnapping a lot of innocents!' can make me be."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Do… you need to vent?"

"Look, let's just move on," she bit her lips. "This won't do us any good, and I… I need to face this issue head-on, I think. Right?"

"Probably for the best… yeah."

As they finished the conversation, both heard a cry for help. Curious about the whereabouts of that, the duo began to run.

* * *

Brian could barely keep himself together. The Lycanroc was knocked out, so that problem was solved for the moment, but using all that energy made him exhausted. To make matters worse, his mind was still clouded with thoughts about his brother. He wanted to believe that Lance wasn't keeping secrets from him, he really did, but…

Lance didn't even say about what he experienced while captive until six months ago!

He punched the wall. It hurt, and he began to wave his hand, muttering about the pain to himself. Now distracted from his thoughts, Brian heard a faint voice, somewhere around those doors.

"I-Is anyone here?!" Brian asked, beginning to sniff the air.

"H...e...l...p…"

Brian ran to where the voice was coming from, or at least he assumed that's where he was going. "Where are you?!"

"...P...le...ase! Help!"

"I-I'm coming!" Brian stopped right in front of a door. Unlike the others, this one had no number in it.

Weird…

"A...re you… the...re?"

"Oh, right!" Brian fiddled on his belt, searching for his tools to help with lock picking.

"Not… now!" the voice said again, Brian noticed it was a soft, feminine one.

Brian tilted his head. "Wha…? What do you mean not now?"

"...At the… office… there's… the plans, you must get them, young one!"

"...I don't get it, miss. What do you want me to do?!"

She continued. "Papers… you must get them, they… are… more important!"

Brian pondered a bit more, and gasped. "O-Oh! I think I got it, you want me to get some papers from the Gallade's office? Is that it?"

"...Yes. They… are related to my Master… Xerneas. Please! You must… get those plans!"

Brian blinked. Did that lady just speak about a Legend? Oh no. Things got a lot heavier than he thought! But… there wasn't time for this, if she was telling the truth.

"Okay, fine! But I'll come back to you as soon as I can, alright?!"

"That… is not important."

Right now was his chance of proving how much stronger he was! Someone to rescue! He mumbled something and dashed forward, looking at the signs. He could only hope that everything would go as smoothly as possible.

* * *

As they got near the source of the sound, Meggie and Max heard something else. Flames crackling, alongside grass burning. The corridor they were in was also getting larger by the second.

"What do you think is on the other side?!" Meggie asked between breaths. She tripped, landing on the ground.

"...Uh. Are you okay?" Max blinked, offering to help her get up.

"Damn it! Why is this body so… weak?! If I was a Froslass already, I could just float!" She pouted, standing up.

Max sighed. "I mean, there's some rumors that you need to die for that stone to activate, I don't think you would want that…"

She shivered. "Yikes. Yeah, probably not!"

He chuckled. "I said rumors, but alright. Now let's go!"

Another shiver. But this one was something Meggie felt before, on that trip to the black market. Regardless of her fear and panic, she couldn't run away anymore.

On the other side, both of them saw a large room with its door opened. They couldn't quite tell what was inside without getting there, but, for now, Meggie saw two figures: a Grovyle and a Blaziken.

The first was running for his life, dodging every move his opponent was trying to land on him, but even so, he could hardly do it, his body was bruised and burning, making the air smell like burnt grass.

"I think I know who that is," Max gulped, biting his lip. "H-He… is from Treasure Town, and got kidnapped… well, he was a Treecko, but it looks like things… changed."

Meggie took a deep breath. "We need a plan. I have one move that can help against the Blaziken, what about you?"

"I'm not sure I can waltz in there without drawing attention to me. I'm… admittedly, not the sharpest tool in the shed. What do you have in mind?

She laughed, grabbing hold of her tiara. "I'll distract him, you will use that to fight him off, and then I'll get the Grovyle!"

Max's fists crackled with electricity. "Sounds like a plan. Let's do it!"

* * *

She began by running right to the entrance of the arena. Blaziken didn't react right away, and only really noticed Meggie when she put herself in front of the Grovyle. She took a deep breath and released frosty air around the area.

Blaziken, enraged by that, tried to hit Meggie, but was stopped by a fist enveloped in a yellow aura; it was Max, using his Thunder Punch to hold him off.

"Now, Meggie! Use the badge if you have to, but get away! I'll deal with this guy!"

"I have.. no idea who you are, but you're not getting away!" Flames surrounded Blaziken's body and he kicked Max on the leg, dropping his balance enough for him to stumble.

Blaziken then gave a headbutt, followed by a series of punches. The result of that was scorch marks all over Max's fur. Still the Electivire didn't give up, holding Blaziken's hands.

She nodded, looking at Grovyle.

"H-Hello! I'm here to help you escape this awful place, I'm Meggie. My friend is fighting for both of us right now, so can we run?"

Grovyle began to sob, but soon nodded, and the two left the arena. Their escape was interrupted, though, by the sound of a capsule opening, and a beam of red energy that passed right through them.

"W-What the hell?!" Max said, backing away from his opponent, or rather, at the sight of him turning into energy.

The beam enveloped Blaziken, transporting him outside, right where Meggie saw them: Morgan and Derek, the former holding a pokeball on his hand.

Morgan was holding six pokeballs with psychic energy, leaving them floating in the air. "Interesting. I didn't know you would come here willingly, Meggie. What… brings you here?"

"Y-You!" she said, a ball of water forming on her hand.

"I asked something, my dear. But… I suppose I can ask something else, instead. Tell me, Meggie, did you decide anything? Will you join me in my crusade to escape this… primitive land?"

As calm as ever, Morgan put his arms behind his back and forced a smile. Meggie looked at him with pure disgust at his actions and the fact he still wanted her to join him.

She shook her head and raised it. "I'm… no! I'm not joining you! You're a monster, and that little pet of yours too!"

Grovyle, meanwhile, was crying. Meggie turned around to comfort him as best as she could. Which wasn't much, since she was only hugging him.

Derek snarled. "Hey, I'm no pet! I'm with him because, frankly, all the battles make me strong! You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, shut up!" Max left the arena as well, panting and with his vision blurred.

"Looks like everyone's here. All the pathetic attempts of copying mankind… except my wonderful assistant, of course!"

Morgan dodged a Water Pulse coming from Meggie, and then frowned. Derek hunched, positioning himself to strike at any moment.

"As you can see, Derek is one of my closest allies, and the only one of the subjects that didn't go mad with power… not even my Blaziken can control his mega form," Morgan smirked. "Really, it's amazing how you all didn't go feral, considering how awful this world is."

Max gulped. There was no way they could defeat all of them right now, not without sacrifices. "Meggie… we need to leave!"

"B-But Brian's still here!"

"Yeah, I know! But right now… we don't have many choices here!"

Meggie's mind went on overdrive, jumping from one idea to another, however, none of them seemed to be doable.

_Damn it. Think, think! If he lifts us with telekinesis, we're screwed. But there has to be a limit to his powers… come on brain, THINK!_

"I'm giving you another chance, because I can't believe… you would choose this place over our home!"

Morgan's body flashed, disappearing and reappearing right in front of Meggie. She gasped, backing away, but still in front of the Grovyle, who continued to sob. She launched another Water Pulse, to which Morgan teleported again to dodge.

_Wait… i-is that it?!_

For the faintest of moments, she saw Morgan looking to his left, before teleporting away and reappearing right where his eyes were looking at. Her eyes widened again, a sense of pride filling her body. The only thing left was to test her theory.

_Let's hope he's not reading my thoughts… but how to confirm that? Wait… I'll use Water Pulse again!_

Instead, Meggie released a frosty breath again. Morgan's reaction wasn't like he expected the water move, he simply shrugged the cold off.

_So he can't read my thoughts! I-Is it because of being half fighting…? Oh, that's not the point. I know his weakness!_

Max was busy punching Derek, but the dragon didn't even feel all that much, at most, he sensed a tickle after getting hit by the electric attacks. For now, they were locked in combat.

"I'm never joining you…! Also, you might want to get some warmth!"

Meggie put her tiara in front of her, and released another Frost Breath. The tiara glowed, amplifying the move to the point a cloud of frosty air covered most of the area, blocking everyone's views except for her.

"Oh… this is our chance!" Max blinked.

"Follow my voice! And take the kid, I can't carry him!"

Max did as instructed, and they all left, leaving Morgan and Derek alone in that area. After he noticed how he was tricked, the Gallade roared in anger.

* * *

_Whoa, this guy's ridiculously organized. It's kinda like Lance, but… evil._

Brian, now in Morgan's office, was shuffling through his papers. He was reading the contents of a folder with the title of "Tree of Life". That name brought back some memories to when Brian was a kid, hearing that this location was sacred, and nobody, not even the greatest explorers, dared to trespass, fearful of Xerneas' wrath.

_How much a nut is this guy? Nobody would be crazy enough to go there…! But still, he's planning on doing just that._

Maybe humans were just that odd. Brian only knew two of them well enough, but those two were a bit weird for his standards. And there was the biggest revelation: that Meggie worked for the enemy.

Brian wanted to ignore that, but… he couldn't shake the feeling that she was a spy or something similar.

_But if that's the case… why help us so much? Or why join us in the first place? I… I trust Lance with my life, maybe… I should do that with Meggie too, I don't think she means any harm to us…_

He shrugged it off for the moment, focusing more on the plans he was reading. Texts explaining that Morgan wanted to defeat Xerneas, schematics about something called "Master Ball", and a bunch of references to a place Brian didn't even know existed.

 _I… need to bring this with me, it's the only way! M-Maybe Meggie knows what this is all about! And then… I can trust her again!_ He shoved the papers into his mane and left the room.

Now back at the corridor, he picked the tools again, fiddling with the door. The lock was weird, but he had some training to mess with that kind of thing.

"A...re you ba...ck?" the voice asked again.

"Yeah, miss! Well, I have no idea what's your name, but yeah, I'm getting you out!"

"...Me...ganium."

Brian whined. "You're really hurt, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll get you out! Lock picking is a bit hard, but nothing impossible!"

"Y-Yes… I am hurt."

He nodded, sighing and finally unlocking the door. It was then that he noticed he could see his breath, and that it was getting colder; looking to his right, Brian saw his teammates running for their lives, and with them, a Grovyle.

When Meggie was close enough, she slapped him on his leg.

He didn't even flinch. "...Heya."

"Brian, you idiot! You just left us alone! We barely escaped!"

"Well, I barely escaped some crazy Lycanroc! Oh, and also… there's a Meganium trapped here."

Meggie rolled her eyes. "Can't we use the badges to teleport out of here? I'm… really tired from everything. I need some sleep."

"Those things are brand new, we need to use them together for them to work, anyway," Brian answered, sighing.

Max looked at the door, opening it. Inside, like Brian said, there was a Meganium. Her body had cuts all over, her once beautiful flowers were now weak and fragile. It was like she didn't eat anything in days.

"What's… going on?" Grovyle said, raising his head.

Brian crossed his arms. "We need to leave. I'm not sure the badges will have power to get us home, depending on where we are. Where the fuck are we anyway?"

"No idea. Apart from the rubble thing," Max shrugged.

While the boys were arguing, Meggie got inside the room, giving an Oran Berry for Meganium to eat. Her energy was restored, and her bruises were beginning to heal, allowing her to get up.

Meganium left with Meggie and looked at the others. "We are… in Oreshard. Or rather, the remnants of it."

"Whoa, wait, that place? It… explains a lot, actually. Nobody would want to go to a ghost city," Brian turned to Meggie. "No offense, uh, even if you're not a Froslass yet."

"None taken."

"Guys, we really need to get out. Again, does anyone know the exit?"

"I'm aware of it," Meganium answered. "Please, follow me…"

The group followed her directions, and everyone hoped the way back would be smooth.

* * *

On the floor, Lycanroc woke up with a gasp. He was drenched in sweat, but didn't have enough time to rest, being lifted by psychic energy; Morgan had arrived as well.

"I told you… that if you failed, you would be killed. Tell me again, you pest… are you still useful to me?"

Lunick gagged, trying to say anything. The hold on him was broken and he fell to the ground. However, Derek pointed his claws at him. If he moved even an inch, he would be dead.

"O-Okay, okay! I-I think I put some doubt in that Zoroark, alright? I promise, I'll beat him next time!"

Morgan smirked. "Why say next time… when you can do it now? I have… one way that you can be useful. Don't worry, your life is safe."

"Boss," Derek sniffed the air. "They're getting away…"

"They won't get far. Let's go."

* * *

"Whoa," Brian heard of the stories about the town, but he didn't expect to actually visit it someday.

And there it was, devastated, houses destroyed, buildings turned to dust, and skeletons spread all across what once was a prosperous town. And the worst part was: Brian was partially responsible for one of the survivor's deaths.

"Is… that a cliff?" Meggie gulped, backing away from that part of the town.

Meganium simply raised her head. "What a tragedy, Cobalion always said that he felt sorry for what happened here…"

Max raised an eyebrow. "Hey, miss Meganium. What exactly is your deal, huh? And how the fuck do you know a Legend?"

She turned her face around. "Mistress Xerneas taught me everything I know about the higher beings. I owe her my life."

Brian sighed. "Now's not the time, guys…"

It really wasn't. From the building's exit came the three enemies, with Lycanroc on all fours. Morgan kept his cool, while Derek was already transforming into his mega form.

Max was less than happy. "Shit! We have two of ours wounded!"

Brian didn't even notice, his eyes were fixed on Morgan and Morgan only. That single Pokémon was the source of everything that went wrong in his life. And right now, he wanted nothing more than to pummel him into the ground.

"Max… take my badge, and Meggie's. Use all of our badges to get home! I'll deal with those guys! If you have to, charge them with your electricity! Just… get out!"

Max took the badge, but didn't accept the idea yet. "...Are you insane? You're gonna—"

He threw a Shadow Ball backwards. "I said get OUT! Leave!"

Meggie did the same thing, throwing her badge to Max. She then went right to Brian's side. "We're a team, right…? We work together!"

Brian's ears twitched after he heard that. "What…? Meggie, not to be rude, but you're too weak for this!"

She simply shook her head. "I don't care! This guy is hurting others, he's a monster, and… he needs to be stopped."

Morgan gave one step further, clapping his hands. "Oh, please. You actually think you have the strength to do that? You're pitiful."

"...You asked me if I decided what I'm gonna do," Meggie held her tiara again. "I have. I'm going to stop you!"

"You are welcome to try."

Brian lowered his head, but refused to back away, also moving forward, while a flash of golden light shone behind him, transporting his friends to safety. Now it was only him and Meggie against three. The odds weren't in his favor, but that wasn't going to stop him.

"I'm… going to end this right now!" Puffs of flame were coming out of Brian's mouth as he prepared to strike.

Nothing could or would stop him now. He charged on all fours and jumped, releasing a flamethrower, but at the last second, Lunick jumped, punching him on the chin and knocking Brian back to the ground.

Snarling, Brian went for another strike, but beneath him, a rocky formation emerged, hitting his chest with enough strength to make him fall back again. Lunick chuckled after using Stone Edge, and now ran again to finish Brian off.

Can't lose… can't lose…! Using all his strength, Brian stood up just in time to punch Lunick, but fell down once more.

Meanwhile, Meggie was running as fast as she could, dodging strike after strike from Derek, the Mega Garchomp only laughed, raising his scythes to cut her open, but her small stature made it easy to escape from the attacks.

Brian tried to stand up, but his body didn't answer him, even if he was putting all his might into it. He couldn't just let things end like that! He needed to win, to defeat those three! If only… he had the power to do it.

Lunick licked his lips, now right behind Meggie, the wolf pounced, trying to get a hit on her at the same time she was dodging Derek's attacks.

"NO!" Brian screamed. He finally snapped, a rush of adrenaline spread across all of his body, and, ignoring all the pain and all the wounds he felt, Brian ran, and ran, claws glowing with a crimson tone.

He didn't even command his body to do it, it was moving on its own. Brian's brain was fixated on Lunick, his enemy, the one that was about to hurt another one of his friends, and he wasn't going to let that happen. Brian closed his eyes and simply slashed.

"A-Arg…" was all Lunick said, falling to the ground with a large cut on his throat, blood oozing out of the wound, landing right on Brian's face.

Terrified at what he had done, Brian fell on his knees, not focusing on anything else other than what just happened. His eyes stared at Lunick, until he saw the wolf's body going limp; Brian had killed someone. He killed. Murdered. Murder. Murder.

 _N-No…_ He killed. Murdered. Murder. Murder. Murder.

Meggie looked back, distracted by that, and was hit by a headbutt coming from Derek. Her body rolled across the floor, until she was near the edge of the city, seeing the immense hole.

"N-No! Uh, Brian! Snap out of it! I need your help, now!"

Brian didn't react, too enveloped in his own thoughts about the killing, the blood that dripped from his face, the one that was on his hands, nothing mattered anymore.

Morgan crossed his arms. "Derek, finish her."

"Sorry, young lady! Boss said so!"

Stomping the ground, Derek shattered it, making Meggie fall down the cliff. Her screams filled the air.

"H...Huh?!" Brian snapped back to reality, but it was too late.

He heard something breaking again, and the screams stopped.


	32. Dungeon 30 - A Hazy Shade Of Winter

It all happened so fast. Getting thrown into a cliff with such ferocity… that really was common in the world she was in, wasn't it? Meggie felt the cold breeze of the wind flowing all around her body, her purse flailing around her arm, and most importantly, the scenery of solid ground was getting closer every second. She needed to think, and fast!

_Calm down! This is bad, but if you don't think of something, you'll die!_

With her eyes darting around, she tried to get a hold of her surroundings before it was too late, looking for something, _anything_ that would help her survive that fall.

_Come on, come on!_

Her fight-or-flight instincts were almost overloading her mind. Panic was setting in even more, but even amidst it all, her eyes locked on what could be her salvation: a tree!

The only bad part about it was that the tree was on the left side of the cliff, while Meggie was on the right side. With quick thinking, she blasted water into the rocky walls she was facing, propelling herself towards the tree.

Great! Now all that was left was fall on the leaves, and hopefully soften the impact! Meggie, however, noticed another problem with that idea: she was getting faster, and the crash would surely break her.

_Oh, come on! There has to be somethi—_

Meggie's tiara was falling right in front of her, something given to her by Brian, and that could boost… her ice-type move! If she could use that, she could slow down the fall and survive!

With a swift movement, she grabbed the accessory, aiming right at the tree. Then, with a long breath, she released a frosty wind, amplified by the item on her hand. That was enough to make her movement slow down. Yet, there was a limit to how long she could hold it, and she was getting close to it.

_Come on!_

Just a few more meters until impact. Her whole life flashed before her eyes. From the day she met that Sceptile, to when she joined the twins, and to their journey to search for Morgan. That man… who she once knew, but right now was nothing more than a monster.

_Almost there!_

Finally, she fell into the tree. Even if she slowed down the fall, it still hurt a lot, and her entire body ached. The pain distracted her for a few seconds, but soon Meggie held on to the tree's trunk, coughing up a few leaves. That entire thing drained her to the point she was using all her strength to not fall from the tree. Her vision blurred, tired from everything.

_I can't die now… come ON!_

Still clinging to life, Meggie noticed a blue glow inside her purse, that expanded until she felt a surge of energy all around herself. It was something so surreal, cold, but she didn't mind it in the slightest. No, it was almost like that feeling was natural to her.

_What's… that?_

She climbed down the tree, panting, and immediately opened her purse. Inside, she discovered the source of the glow: it was the dawn stone she got earlier that day. Whispers of what she heard back in the headquarters were coming to her mind.

_...You need to die to use this? It was a rumour, right?_

Nobody answered. Of course, she was all alone down there… oh no, Brian! Her friend was still up on the town, fighting against two opponents at once.

_I… need to do something._

Biting her lips, she cursed her body. So fragile and useless. She couldn't even help her friends when they needed, and every battle up to that point was a chore to get through. She wondered how they could even survive all those fights.

_It doesn't matter right now. I still have an enemy to face…_

Her mind wandered back to what Morgan said about them. How they were brutal and savage creatures that she shouldn't associate with. But, throughout her adventure, all she found were beings that had hopes, dreams, sorrow and happiness. They wanted to live… just like her.

_He's wrong. I know that, and… I can't continue being so weak._

Meggie couldn't afford to be a burden any longer. Even if Morgan was right, even if they were all brutal, they were her friends, the ones who helped her during the entire journey. And now… returning the favor was all she could think of. No longer would she be a weak damsel in distress, she would fight to help the ones she loved.

"Let's do this."

She touched the stone, and the glow expanded all around her body.

* * *

Brian was still paralyzed from what he did, and couldn't take his eyes off the Lycanroc. The blood was still falling from the corpse. He didn't feel anything, not rage, just… emptiness. His mind was entirely focused on the body, which made Brian fail to notice Derek dashing towards him, until the Garchomp turned around, tail enveloped in watery energy.

He didn't even react, being pushed back by the tail slap and giving a loud scream as he felt his body aching from the attack. Brian fell to the ground, coughing and panting. On the other side, Morgan was holding another one of those weird, capsule-like balls.

Brian raised his head. "W-What are you gonna do to me…?"

"I didn't expect to catch a Zoroark of all things… but perhaps you will be useful to me."

He had failed. Failed to avenge them all, failed to help his brother, and to top it off, he had murdered someone in the process. To make that even worse, Brian… felt no remorse over it. Maybe things just weren't meant to be, maybe they couldn't win, no matter how much they tried. There was a reason Morgan had survived all these years, after all.

"Well… you're going to make a fine pet, Zoroark."

"What… the fuck… are you saying?!" Brian protested, suddenly standing up. His body shivered, and he raised his hand, producing a black energy ball. Its usual spherical shape was changing to a more amorphous one.

He was struggling to stay up, vision blurring, but Brian remained focused on Morgan. One shot was all he needed.

"Since you're on your last moments of freedom, I might as well tell you. This is a pokéball, an item used by humans back in my world… they should make you an obedient pet for me."

Snarling, he fired the Shadow Ball directly at Morgan, but it faded mid-air. Brian's reaction was to stumble back and try to make an illusion of invisibility on himself. It almost worked, but soon the illusion dissipated.

"Hmph. Struggle all you want, you're too weak to do anything."

In the end, Brian was going to be reduced to a puppet to an insane Pokémon, and that alone scared him. How would his brother react? How would any of his friends react? He couldn't fight them! He tried to get up, but felt a sharp pain around his stomach. With his head raised, Brian saw that ball coming towards him, and closed his eyes, resigning himself to that fate.

"I'm… back!"

A familiar voice and a cold shiver made Brian snap his eyes open, seeing that device frozen in the ground. That wasn't the end of it, though, as he saw a Froslass standing right in front of him.

Brian looked at her. "...Meggie? Is that you…?!"

She simply turned her face around to Brian, smiling, but soon her gaze shifted to their enemies. Morgan clenched his fist, but remained calm and collected.

"I see… you evolved as well. Congratulations, my dear assistant."

"Don't call me dear! I'm done with you!"

Morgan closed his eyes. What a bothersome situation. Why couldn't she just realize how wrong she was? A snarl drew his attention, and he saw Derek in a combat position, but backing away slowly; perhaps it was an instinctual reaction.

"Very well. I mentioned this before, but since you're not interested in joining me… I'll have to part ways with you! Derek, kill her!"

The dragon roared and flew through the air, towards where Meggie was floating. He tried to bite her with his fangs, but she dodged. He quickly turned around and released a stream of flames towards her, and once the attack hit, her body vanished.

"Wha—"

A shiver ran down Derek's spine, until he felt a burning sensation around his back, followed by the hissing sound of ice. His entire body screamed at him to get away, and so he did. He flew away from the Froslass, until he stopped, seeing her right in front of him. Snarling, Derek tried to hit her with his scythe, but before he could do that, multiple copies of Meggie materialized all around him.

"What trick is this? Show yourself, coward!" Derek roared, firing stream after stream of flames across the copies, that simply dissipated in the air.

Morgan was less than amused, and screamed loud enough for Derek to listen. "You _idiot_! She's using Double Team! You won't hit her like that!"

"But I can!"

Morgan took a look in front of him, where he saw Meggie releasing a breath of purple, ghostly wind at him. The energy of the move made him fall back, groaning in pain.

* * *

Meanwhile, Brian could only watch the entire battle unfold. He cursed his body's lack of movement, trying to force himself to do something to help her. Anything, really.

It was then that he saw Derek diving down, while preparing another flamethrower to launch at Meggie, and Brian snapped. Right before he could release the fire, Brian focused all the energy he could muster, his eyes glowed and the fox fired a multicolored circular beam of psychic energy at the dragon.

Derek got hit point-blank by the Extrasensory and fell to the ground, knocked out by the move. His body was enveloped in red energy and was transferred back to one of Morgan's pokéballs.

"D-Derek, you moron…" Morgan panted, his collected demeanor was slowly crumbling apart. Not only was he hurt by the ominous wind Meggie used before, his ally had fainted. Still, he couldn't give up just yet.

Morgan took one step backwards before, from the ground, a large barricade of ice crystals appeared, freezing the area in front of him. He looked up and saw Meggie floating in the air, a black ball of ghostly energy around her fingers, while her mouth had a frosty breath around it.

"Like I said, I'm through with you!" Meggie snarled, making the ball expand in size. "Now I'm gonna talk, and you'll listen!"

"Hmph," Morgan returned Derek to his pokeball and crossed his arms, looking at the Froslass.

Brian, still exhausted, tried to get up again, but a jolt of pain kept him on the ground. "What are you planning? We need to leave this place, Meggie!"

"What… do you want with me?!" Morgan held on to a wall, still tired from the battle.

Meggie didn't even flinch, aiming at Morgan. "You're going to let us go, and you know why?! Brian, too bad we can't illusion ourselves out of this, since you're too tired to make a big one… well, show the papers!"

Brian's ears twitched. _Well, I can still make a small illusion, I guess, but… the papers…? O-Oh!_

He took the envelope from out of his mane and raised his hand. Morgan gasped at that, and his expression turned from exhausted to angry. His hand was glowing with psychic energy.

"Give me back that… NOW! You don't understand what you're holding, you fools!"

"Oh, really? Then that must be important!" Meggie smirked, now aiming at the papers. "Arrange us an Escape Orb, and we'll give you them back!"

"Are you trying to bargain with me, child?! You're in no position to—"

Meggie fired another shadowy ball right in front of Morgan, the attack only inches away from him. He cringed and nodded.

"I'm… sure we can reach an understanding."

Brian snarled, his blue eyes glowing red. "Oh, of course we can! You kidnap others, force them to become murderers, make them into weapons… and we can just fucking ignore all of that! I… _despise_ you!"

Morgan, unfazed, stared at Brian. "A savage like you wouldn't understand me… none of you can," he looked up at Meggie. "Not even _you_ , who I thought was someone close to me…"

"Escape Orb. Now!" Meggie screamed again, ready to fire the attack once more.

Morgan scoffed. "Hmph. Very well. If you allow me, I'll pick it up inside. You will allow me to do that, correct?"

She floated down to the ground and looked at Brian. "Stay here. I got this, okay?"

"Fuck no! You're not going alone with that psycho!"

"You're too hurt. Besides… I got this, okay? Trust me."

Brian whined and looked down, not doing anything but protest in silence. Meggie sighed and entered the building once more. Now with Morgan, she hoped everything would be fine.

After they left, the fox then looked at that frozen pokéball, it was shrinking. Brian blinked, an idea coming to his mind. But first, they needed to escape.

* * *

As they walked, Meggie didn't take her eyes off Morgan during the entire way, mostly because she wanted to make sure he wouldn't try anything funny, but also because he brought her a sense of nostalgia, even if she tried to shake that off.

She, for a faint fraction of time, wanted to ask him more about what they were like as humans. But then, the memories of all the atrocities he committed in that world made her rage return.

It appeared that Morgan also shared the same sentiment. Every so often, he looked at her, a mix of sorrow and sadness on his face. Meggie didn't fall for that, though, and remained on high alert for anything he might try.

Finally, Morgan broke the silence. "It's been… such a long time since I last saw you, Meg."

She raised an eyebrow, almost literally giving him the cold shoulder. "Really? Well, not enough, if you ask me."

Morgan sighed, continuing to walk. His attempts to keep the conversation going went on.

"You might not believe me, but I missed you. During all my years in this… prison of a body, I looked for you."

"That makes no sense…" Meggie pouted, refusing to believe in him. "I've been here for six months, not years!"

Morgan stopped and turned around to face her. Now with a confused look, the Gallade tilted his head.

"Interesting. It looks like we might have missed a few calculations on the portal… we might have been sent to different eras. I've been here… for almost thirty years."

The revelation almost made her lose focus, but Meggie still carried on, not wanting to show weakness. The end of the hallway was near, she only needed to keep stalling him a while longer.

"What portal?! What the fuck are you saying?!"

Morgan chuckled. "Of course, you have no memory. I don't blame you, it took me years to recover mine. I only did it because… well, my psychic abilities diminished when I achieved this form. It's quite pathetic, really."

"W-Well, I've been told that I needed to die to become a Froslass, but that wasn't the case…"

Morgan scoffed, grinning at her. "These monsters have lots of rumors. Ghost-types aren't actually dead, they're only called like that because of a so-called 'tradition'."

"Really? Then what—"

He interrupted her, raising his head.

"If you had your memories intact, you would know that the body of ghost-types possess large amounts of ectoplasma. Somehow, their aura expresses itself in that way."

"This feels like something Lance would talk about…"

Morgan squinted his eyes in frustration. "Again, had your memories stayed intact, you would know that Lucario are naturally attuned to aura, and it comes easy for them, even as children. It's one of the reasons I took number ten in."

Already fed up with it all, Meggie finally fired the ghostly ball, but it hit the wall, as a warning for Morgan. Scoffing, he went back to his stroll.

"Come. My office is at the end of the hallway, I'll give the orb to you there."

* * *

Brian was waiting for his friend, but he still had a lot on his mind. He could sense the blood, that metallic but cloying smell filled the air around him. It made him dizzy, but also scared of what he did.

_C-Calm down, calm down…_

In. Out. In. Out. He tried to use the breathing exercise his brother was so used to try and relax. Well, the most he could relax considering he murdered someone. He still couldn't fathom what happened, and why he did it. Flashes of the scene went on inside his head, never leaving.

_M-Maybe I can… distract myself! R-Right?!_

Brian looked at the frozen pokéball. Perhaps he could make some new tool based on that thing. Morgan was using it to, in his own words, "catch" others. That part was disgusting to him, so he focused on something else entirely: the mechanism through which the device shrunk. If he could somehow create something like that, what kind of gadgets could he make? That would certainly help his team.

That worked wonders for him, and he stopped thinking about the corpse, brain filled with thoughts and ideas about how that mechanism worked.

For the moment, that was enough.

* * *

Now at the door, Meggie was breathing deeply. She already used Shadow Ball so many times that day to the point of exhaustion. Of course, she couldn't let Morgan know about that. To keep the illusion, she was pretending to charge her Ominous Wind move while Morgan messed around the office, searching for the orb.

Morgan finally took the sphere and held it in his hand. He looked at Meggie. "You know, I'm going to ask again… will you join me?"

"Why do you keep asking me?! I already said no!"

"Call me an optimist if you will, but I just don't understand… the reason why you defend these people. Aren't you tired of all this fighting?"

He took a long sigh, and continued. "We're scientists, but also humans, above everything else, Meggie. We need to return to our people…"

Meggie looked down, tears began falling down, freezing before hitting the ground. "Can't we return there without all this bloodshed?!"

"They are means to an end. Nothing… more than that."

"No!" Meggie screamed. "T-They all have… something to fight for. My friends are fighting with all their might to stop you! And… they're right. You're a monster."

Morgan sighed again, clutching the orb tightly. His other hand began to glow with a pink tone. "I really didn't want things to come to this, but you leave me no choice…"

That was the last straw for her. Meggie opened her mouth to release the ghostly wind, knocking Morgan's balance and making him drop the orb, which she swiftly took before floating backwards.

"No…" Morgan got up and took one step forward.

However, Meggie soon released a freezing breath, powered by her tiara, making a wall of solid ice on the office's entrance. She floated back as fast as she could, not even looking back. She couldn't afford to do that, after all.

Morgan's body was filled with rage, and with a powerful punch, he shattered the wall. He began to run, following his former assistant, who constantly created more and more ice walls in order to stall him for as long as she could.

_Almost there… Brian, we're gonna leave this place!_

More and more sounds of ice shattering. "You can't escape me, Meggie! Since you don't want to accept your human life… I'll just take out your miserable Pokémon one!"

Morgan extended his hand to try and catch Meggie, but she dodged, twisting around. Once she was facing him, she unleashed another frosty wind, freezing the area in front of her.

* * *

Now free to escape that place, Meggie finally left the building, finding Brian right in front of the corpse, staring at it. She frowned, approaching him.

"Are… you okay, Brian?" she asked, lowering her body to the same level as his.

Brian only whined. "I-I tried to take my mind off this, but… I can't stop thinking about it."

She sighed, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Look, I know you're feeling bad about this, but we need to leave. Like, now. I managed to stall him, but we need to go!"

"Feeling bad? I—"

Meggie raised her hand, showing him the orb. "Come on, now, Brian!"

The fox whined again, and nodded. Meggie sighed in relief, smashing the orb in the ground. The duo got enveloped in a bright, white light and vanished from that place.

Morgan panted, having just gotten there, only to see them escaping. Filled with rage, he punched the ground until his hand began to bleed.

* * *

They reappeared right in front of the gates to Bright Dawn, where Brian saw the same Ursaring he met the day he moved to that city. But this time he didn't really feel like chatting with the bear, and rubbed his arm.

Meggie stopped floating, sitting on the ground. Her breath was raspy and fast. After all the battles, all she wanted was to rest. Fortunately, she was very close to being able to do that.

"Look, can I… can we talk?" Brian looked at her, ears drooping. He mumbled something and sat down as well.

Meggie tilted her head. "I mean, I could really use a nap, but… okay then. What's up?"

He reacted by fiddling with his fingers, unable to look at her. "I'm sorry. For doubting you and all that. I know I can be a bit, uh… weird and hyperactive sometimes. It's… kinda my thing, my way of coping with everything, y'know?"

Meggie looked to the sky, it was already dusk. How long did they stay there? It didn't matter. She soon answered. "Brian, it's fine. You had your reasons. To be honest, I… doubted myself too."

Instead of reassuring him, that sentence was more like a knife to his chest, making his stomach wrench. "But I fucked up! If I didn't doubt you, I wouldn't have ran from you and Max! A-And maybe, that Lycanroc would… still be alive."

"You don't know that! And you saved me!" she noticed Brian raising his brow and cleared her throat. "Okay, fair, I fell down, but… I evolved! I'm fine! We're fine! And we have his plans!"

Brian forced a faint smile. "...We do, yeah."

"Look, we're very near the city. Once we get there, what do you want to do?"

"I want to see Lance. I need to make sure he's okay, you guys found Morgan in the black market, right? After that… we check up on the rest of the team."

"There's… only one problem, though. We're both wounded. We could really use some medical help, y'know."

"...Oh."

Meggie nodded, and Brian stood up. He was a bit more relaxed than before, or maybe just distracted enough to ignore his worries. Whatever it was, he was just happy to be alive and well, and entered the gate with his teammate, asking for help from the Ursaring guard.

* * *

To say that Morgan was furious would be an understatement. He was throwing what one could call a temper tantrum, kicking chairs all around his office. How dare that stupid Froslass trick him like that… and even steal his notes! Oh, the audacity!

"I swear… I'm done with her! If she wants to do this, then… I'm not going to try and bring her back to my side again!"

He huffed and puffed, punching the wall with such strength it got a crack shaped like his fist. He muttered something, cursing his fighting instincts. Morgan couldn't allow himself to get on their level, not at all.

Right, the first thing he needed to do in that moment was calm down. Panicking would not be helpful, and neither would be destroying his workplace. The pokéballs fidgeted around him and soon he placed them on his table. Six of them, containing a perfect team for the mission ahead.

_Damn it. I'll have to step things up… at least a month before my schedule, all because of some… stupid teenagers!_

He sat down, covering his face with his hands. One step at a time. Careful and strategic thinking was his greatest weapon, one that he was prideful of.

_Yes… my brain is my greatest ally. I'm not backing down. I need to go home…_

Morgan stood up, leaving the room and heading towards another. He sighed in relief that nobody had entered that area of the building.

_Of course… they were focusing on killing me, and didn't notice this. Lovely._

He smirked and opened the door. Inside was a purple pokéball, accompanied by some type of machine-like bag. Off to work he went.

* * *

Brian cringed in pain. A Slowbro nurse was using Heal Pulse on his stomach, and while he knew it was getting better, that wound still hurt like crap. He was thankful that Ursaring accompanied them to the hospital, and that he went on to call Lance on his home. Now all Brian needed to do was wait for his sibling to get there.

"Theee...re. It's… all patched… up. But… we might nee...d to… apply that… again," the nurse said in the slowest voice he could muster.

Brian rolled his eyes, annoyed by how slow he talked. Then again, that was in the species' name. "Sure, doc. But like, how long until I can get free from this place? I'm kinda in the middle of a mission."

"You're… luc...ky that the attack mi...ssed vital or...gans."

"Got it, got it. Can I have some privacy…? I mean, she's here, but you got the point."

Meggie was staring at him in amusement, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Suu...re," the nurse nodded and left the room, leaving the two alone.

His ears twitched. "What's so funny?"

Meggie ignored him and waved to the Slowbro. "Bye, it was _ice_ to meet you!"

"O-Oh, a pun," Brian grinned. "Sorry, but you should have started with a better… _ice_ breaker!"

She simply stuck out her tongue.

Brian laughed, but stopped once his wound stung, but he still continued the conversation. "If that's your idea of humor, I love it. Please keep it up, Meg!"

"Great. I know what your buttons are! And I have another one that might cheer you up!"

"Really? Do tell."

Meggie sat down on one of the chairs. "It's more of a question. How… does the escape orb know where we need to go?"

Her friend smiled. "Ah. That's a good one. I… nobody really knows where the orbs come from, but what we do know is that they react to our emotions."

She tilted her head. "What?"

"Basically, we just need to think where we need to go. Of course, that's just for the escape one. Warp Orbs don't have that."

"...Got it."

Brian looked at the ceiling, still smiling. "Also… thanks for saving my ass back there. I couldn't have done it without you."

Meggie opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by someone knocking on the door. Brian's ears perked up, hearing the footsteps. She ruffled her head, as if it had hair and went on to open the door.

* * *

Lance entered the room, and the first thing he did was look at his brother, whose stomach was wrapped in bandages and who was laying on the bed.

"Hi, Brian."

Meggie pouted. "Hello? I evolved, come on!"

The Lucario turned to face her. "Oh… congratulations, Meg."

Still grumpy as usual… but at least he seems better than when we left the market.

Brian forced himself to sit. "Lance! Holy shit, it's so good to see you! How are you holding up?!"

His sibling grumbled. "I have no idea. Look, I came here to see how you all were, but also… we need to talk."

Brian blinked in confusion. "Wait, like, now? I'm kinda on recovery, dude."

"Yeah," Meggie sat down again. "What's with this? We need to rest."

Lance snarled and crossed his arms. "If I don't come out now, I'll probably never do it."

The fox snickered. "Dude, I already know you're gay. You literally had a boyfriend!"

"Wait, really?" Meggie looked at Brian, giving a faint laugh.

Their friend blushed, grumbling to himself. "First, I'm pan, I just like guys a lot more. And secondly… it's not about that."

Brian shrugged. "Alright, you got me there. What's your way of coming out?"

Lance took a deep breath, and pondered if he should really do it. Their most likely reaction would be disappointment, but he also worried about them reacting way worse than that. His fears and doubts over the course of the day, and also the nightmares, contributed to the anxiety of telling them the entire thing.

"I… am a killer. I'm a murderer."

Brian's eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth.

Meggie didn't even know what to say. Unlike Brian, she didn't know what Lance was talking about. Another example of them not explaining things to her, so it seemed. But… she wanted to hear it all instead of jumping to conclusions.

Brian finally said something. "Wait, what are you—"

"I don't mean the ones I did in self-defense. I mean… I killed Atlas in that cave. And I did it willingly."

His teammates didn't say anything after that revelation, taking the time to fully sink in. Brian… his mind immediately went to the aftermath of the battle, where he told his brother about what happened, and in that moment, he thought Lance felt the same way, they mourned together!

But now, Lance said it was all a lie?! How… just how many times did he lie? He couldn't believe it. It had to be a trick, a test, something. His mind tried to rationalize it all, but then… he heard Lycanroc's words echoing on his mind. How Lance also tried to murder him.

And it all hit him like a building collapsing on his body.

"L-Lance, what?! What the fuck are you saying?! Why did you do it?!"

Meggie just listened to the entire conversation. Like Brian, she refused to believe that, but Lance wasn't really trying to defend himself, or do anything to deny. Maybe he was really telling the truth. And if he was…

"At first, I thought he deserved to die. He was a criminal, Brian! He murdered others, and if I didn't stop him, he would—"

"Get out."

Lance looked at Meggie, confused. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said… get out! We… don't have time to deal with this, Lance! Leave!"

His eyes darted to Brian, but the fox didn't say anything. Defeated, Lance looked down and left the room as well.

"We need… some time to think," Brian finally said.

* * *

Now outside, Lance shivered. That was the worst thing that could happen! His friends rejected him… they told him to get away. But of course, who wouldn't do that? They heard him confess to being a killer!

_I… really messed things up this time!_

He fell on his knees. Lance really wasn't meant for relationships, wasn't he? First, his boyfriend, then his family, and then his friend.

_They all leave eventually… I don't deserve anything like that._

Lance walked away from the building, tears swelling up on his eyes. He truly was… alone.


	33. Dungeon 31 - Lowest Point

Lance charged out of the hospital looking down at the floor, rubbing his arm. What was he thinking?! Of course his friends wouldn't take that news well! And now… he messed everything up, just like he always did.

In a fit of rage, he prepared an Aura Sphere, but stopped before he fired, eyes widening. The sphere was _purple_. Lance stood there, watching it fade into nothingness, aura particles floating in the air.

"What… just happened?" he asked no one in particular.

"Seems like you're going through some issues, mister Williams."

Or so Lance thought. Scar was right in front of him, arms folded around his back, his bone club pinned to his spine. His posture shifted to a more serious one, and he even crossed his arms.

"What do you want from me?" truth be told, Lance didn't expect the Marowak, but… somehow he felt like he could share things with him. For starters, Scar never judged him for his murders.

Scar chuckled, raising his head to look at Lance. "Because the rest of the team returned, of course! I've come to visit them in the hospital."

Right. That was all, then. Lance nodded to him. "Okay. I'll go back to my apartment right now. I really don't feel like I'm welcomed here…"

He walked past Scar, but to his surprise, he felt a scaly touch on his arm. Turning around, he saw Scar was grabbing him, not wanting to let go.

"That was my reason for coming here, yes. But… you're not well _mentally_ , mister Williams. I'd be happy to help you, if you so wish."

Lance, unable to believe that, pouted. "Oh, really? And how can you help me? Mom's a psychiatrist and look where I am."

"Well, considering you went as far as absorbing one's aura, and that it changed color, I'd say—"

Suddenly, a Machamp ran inside the hospital, carrying a scruffy, screaming Oshawott with all four arms. Alongside came a screaming treecko. The water-type was desperately trying to say something, but all that came out of its mouth were a bunch of "Shaaa". The three soon entered the building.

Lance couldn't help but tilt his head, a bit confused, but mostly intrigued by what had happened. Scar shared his curiosity, and cleared his throat.

"Interesting. This also serves as a good way of teaching you something. Do you know the risks of aura absorption?"

Lance just stared at him. "No…? Dad told me it can lead to my death. Is there anything else?"

Scar made a notion for Lance to follow him. At that point, he was curious about what the Marowak had to say to him, so he went on.

"For starters, do you know _why_ dungeons tend to turn others feral?"

Lance rolled his eyes. A bookworm like him should know, but… there were just too many theories.

"I do not. What's this all about?"

"My companion, Max, might not look like it, but he was a professor in a university. It's on Post Town."

That name made Lance's ears perk up. "What? That's on another continent, isn't it? He came all the way here?!"

Scar laughed. "We're all from different continents. Rescue teams aren't common here in Eutrios… perhaps one day I might tell you about our story."

"R-Right."

He continued. "Anyway, a lot of scholars create theories about the feralization process. Before our team was formed, Maxwell was working on a thesis of his own. Very interesting, I might add."

Lance kept listening to him, although he found the idea of someone like Max to be a professor… laughable. He kept it to himself, though.

"His theory is based on aura interference. That ferals have a much more unstable aura compared to us, and so anyone that can manipulate it, well…"

He blinked, realizing what was going on. "Dungeons tamper with the aura of a Pokémon?"

Scar nodded. "Precisely. Well done, mister Williams."

He continued. "In a similar fashion, I think that's why you went berserk back then. That Emera must have similar effects."

Lance drooped his ears. "R-Right. When I mega evolved…"

Flashes of what happened back then appeared in his mind. He clenched his left fist, enraged at how stupid he was back then. If Lance just… took action, Morgan would be dead, like he deserved.

Unknowingly, his own aura flared up, colored purple. Once he noticed, Lance took a look at himself, and breathed to calm down. Slowly, the aura dissipated, leaving a shocked Lance to wonder about that incident.

Scar was unamused. "This is… interesting. I've never heard of a Lucario with purple aura before."

Lance looked away, sighing. "Dad said that sometimes… our aura can change to reflect our emotional state. It's weird, I know."

"I… see. Very well, mister Williams. I know something that might help you with this. Come with me, it's going to be fine."

"Hmph," Lance pouted, but went back to walking. "Fine, I'll go."

* * *

Brian was paralyzed. Not because of any move or something like that, he just couldn't believe what his brother told him. A murderer. Lance was a murderer for so long… of course, he understood that, in his captive days, Lance had to kill in order to survive. But that was something else! Back at the dungeon… it was willingly.

Meggie, on the other hand, seemed worried. She wasn't floating, just standing on the ground, to the point of it freezing around her body.

Neither really wanted to say anything; it wasn't a normal situation by any means, and they both knew that. Despite this, talking was the key to solving this issue, whether they liked it or not.

The fox gulped, fingers trembling as he recalled his own killing incident. Just like Lance once did, Brian killed in self-defense. But even so, he should feel _something_. Remorse, guilt, sorrow, anything. Yet, all he felt was emptiness. And the worst part of it all: he liked that. A thought came to mind, crawling, seeping into his brain until it almost became too loud to ignore.

Fortunately, something else came to distract them; someone knocked on the door again.

"...Is it him?" Meggie whispered, looking at Brian.

"I-I don't know."

"It's me, y'all!" the familiar voice of Lilith said from the other side of the wall. She seemed worried, but gentle at the same time.

"Oh… come on in!" Meggie said, now calming down again. That day was being rough.

* * *

The bunny entered, having the biggest, buck-toothed smile they saw on her. Brian closed his eyes, whining to himself, while Meggie waved at her and smiled sheepishly.

"Are y'all okay?" she asked, sitting down. "I've heard the news, but… I wanted to check on ya."

Meggie shook her head off in denial. "No, but also… what news?"

Lilith pouted. "Y'all returned from the raid! Lance told me and my companion about it!"

Brian finally spoke, eyes still closed. "R-Right. It was… something. I can't describe it, and don't want to bother you with details."

"Try me!"

He looked at Meggie, who nodded, and then took a deep breath. "Okay, let me explain this in the quickest way possible…"

Brian did his best, summarizing the events of the day. How they battled against Morgan and his lackey, how he almost got captured, how Meggie evolved. Everything that he found to be important, he told her.

The Lopunny watched it in a mix of amusement and fear. She sighed, noticing Brian was struggling to explain the next part.

Meggie blinked and approached him, nodding to try and reassure him.

Lilith also nodded. "Don't worry, kiddo! My lips are sealed…"

"Right. Lance told us something—"

Meggie interrupted him. "He told us he's a murderer."

The bunny blinked, opening her mouth to gasp. Oh, how awful that revelation must have been for them! No wonder they seemed so upset… anyone would in that situation.

Nonetheless, they had a mission to fulfill, and that was, for her, more important.

"I… understand. It's hard to trust him, yeah?"

Meggie and Brian exchanged looks, nodding to Lilith.

"Got it, got it. But here's the thing… he's your friend, right? Why not… trust him? Maybe there's a reason behind all this."

Brian snarled. Unable to hold anything else, he finally snapped. "He... he lied to me! I'm his brother, his best friend! A-And he lied about all those things! How… could he do this?!"

Meggie looked down, shivering. "I believed in him, I believed he wasn't a monster or anything, but… he is."

Lilith crossed her arms. "I think Lance is a complicated mon… he suffered a lot over the years, and… that might have broken him."

Brian growled, his fur standing on its end. "What do you know?! Lance is my brother! I know more about him than you! And yet, and yet…"

The bunny approached him, touching his shoulder and tilting her head. "This is a problem that you both need to figure out with him. For the moment, we still need to stop that mad scientist…"

He knew she was right. It was hard to swallow, but Lilith had the right idea. Then it all came to him. Why he didn't feel remorse at the murder he comitted. He stopped someone from doing the same to his friend. Just… like his brother did.

Meggie seemed to understand something too. Morgan… he was responsible for all of this, and she genuinely thought Lance was nice to her. That sweet Pokémon she knew, trapped in his own mind because of all that torture…

Lilith smiled. "In the end, what you decide to do is up to you… but what I'm suggesting is to redirect your anger to the bigger enemy here."

The ice Pokémon nodded. "Focus all our anger on the Gallade? I'm… all for that."

Brian looked at the Froslass, nodding. "Meg, I… understand that we should do this, but… I'm not sure if I want to talk with Lance right now. Maybe when this is over…"

"Maybe we can bring him back to how he used to be!" she declared, a bit excited at the idea, even floating in the air. However, the others were looking at her, and so she landed on the ground.

Lilith looked at the fox. "Right. And how long will it take until you're free, Brian?"

"Doc says I'll be free by the end of the day."

"At least the healthcare here is free…" Meggie gave a sheepish smile.

"Alright," she turned around, walking to the door. Before she left, she turned to face them once more. "I'd… consider thinking about what you'll do."

* * *

When Scar mentioned he knew something to help him, Lance didn't expect… a game. They were in the same park as the day he fought the Lycanroc, but this time, both were sitting on a chair, decorated with a chess board. On Lance's side were numerous black pieces, decorated like Pokémon. On Scar's side, the same pieces were decorated in white.

The Marowak tapped the board to draw Lance's attention. "Are you alright? You didn't even say anything."

Lance rolled his eyes. "Look, I just didn't expect… chess, of all things."

"Don't you know the rules of this game, mister Williams?"

"I've played chess before. Admittedly, it's not a game for me," he began to explain. "Using the king is a bad move… but if the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

"How… amusing," Scar hummed. "Do you know the pieces, at least?"

The canine grumbled, pointing to a line of Pawniard pieces. He identified those as the pawns. His finger then pointed to a Golurk, the rook.

"Well done, Lance. And the others?"

Lance then pointed to a Nidoking and a Nidoqueen pieces, followed by a Rapidash piece, the knight. Finally, he pointed to a Hatterene, the bishop. After the demonstration, he crossed his arms, grumbling.

"I don't understand the purpose of this, to be honest."

Scar sighed, looking at the board. He was hoping not to explain anything, but Lance was making that difficult with his usual crankiness. Still, Scar was a patient mon.

"Allow me to clarify," Scar pointed to himself. "I will give you a demonstration of how Morgan acts in battle, while you will play as… well, yourself."

Lance's teeth appeared as he snarled. "What does that have to do with my issues?!"

"By understanding your enemy, you're able to best him, correct? I am merely trying to help you."

Unbeknownst to them, the duo attracted quite a crowd. Perhaps it was due to how they were bickering amongst themselves, or maybe the passerby citizens were simply bored. Whatever it was, they were circling all around the two, waiting for the game to start.

Normally, Lance would refuse such a display. But if it meant helping him with his problems, then it should be fine. It's not like he had anything else to lose, anyway.

"Very well. Let's… begin."

Scar smiled, picking one of the pieces with his paw. "Alright, mister Williams. Be aware, I'm not going easy on you."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

* * *

After leaving Brian's room, Lilith went into the hall, entering the second to last door on her right. Inside, Max's hand was being healed by a Blissey, when he noticed the bunny. With his free arm, he waved. Meanwhile, Blissey left the room in silence, leaving them alone.

"Yo! How are you doing?"

"I've talked with Brian and Meggie. A lot of things happened."

Max agreed. "Got it. Any new development?"

"They know the Lucario is a killer. He told them."

Max frowned, muttering something. He stopped and continued the conversation. "Shit. When boss told us, I didn't believe him… but eh, looks like this makes things easier for us!"

"Not really," she leaned onto the wall. "They almost wanted to quit, but I knocked some sense into the kids. We should be fine. For now, at least."

Max's frown turned into a grin. "And you came here to tell me that…?"

"I translated some of the Unown language from the book. We might have a genuine lead on… **_him_**."

"Great!" Max gave her a thumbs-up. "Now we're pretty close, right?!"

"Kinda, yeah," Lilith also smiled. "I swear, if anyone knew you were a professor, they wouldn't believe it. Look at how you act!"

The Electivire kept his grin. "Hey, my students liked this method of teaching! It has results, if you want, I can teach you some private lessons!"

Her face now had an annoyed expression. "Not interested. We should be planning our next move in this mission. The Gallade one."

"Got it!"

With that, Lilith left the room again.

* * *

The audience cheered as the match continued. Lance was as stoic as he usually was. Scar moved one of his pawns to the middle of the board. "E4," one member of the crowd said.

Lance responded by moving his pawn right in front of Scar's. _E5,_ he thought.

Despite Lance's move blocking him, his opponent, not missing a beat, moved another pawn, landing it to the side of his previous one.

 _That's F4… he's playing king's gambit?_ Lance scratched his chin. _Hmph. Scar's sacrificing a pawn and leaving his king open. He doesn't even **pretend** to care for his allies._

The Lucario countered by moving one of his bishops to another row. He heard another member of the audience say "C5", but didn't mind it.

"Oh? You noticed my strategy already?" Scar asked, hiding a smile.

"I'm not an idiot, alright? I know what you're doing…"

"Tell me, then."

Lance closed his eyes, lost in thought. Once he opened them he looked straight into Scar's face.

"You want me to realize that I still have a fighting chance against him… correct? It's why you're playing as if you're him."

Scar clapped his hands together. "Bravo. That's… partially correct. While I _am_ playing like him, I'm also enjoying this as a game."

"A way for me to relax…"

Scar nodded. "And you don't want to lose your attachments to your allies. Much like your friends, am I right?"

"I told them…" Lance said, ears drooping.

"That makes sense. Well, I still support you."

Lance shook his head. "Let's just move on with the game, alright? I'm here to win."

* * *

Brian now sat down on the hospital bed, alone, since Meggie had left the room, but didn't bother to tell him where she was going. The fox was thinking about everything. He said those things in the spur of the moment, but now that he could ponder, he felt… conflicted, at the very least. Not sure how to think about his sibling.

Just how much had him changed after the kidnapping? Brian knew he wouldn't do such things back when they were younger. Oh, how he missed those wonderful days. The construct in how he acted when compared to the past was astounding.

_I thought I got better, but in the end… I'm still as weak as I was back then!_

His ears drooped, and a whining sound came out of his mouth. He started chewing on his lower lip and his eyes welled up with tears.

_It's my fault…! I should've been a better brother!_

Brian snarled, clenching his fists; a drop of blood falling into the back of his paw. His whole body shook, his tears dropping on the bed.

_I-If I was, he wouldn't be like this!_

The same feeling on his brain returned, the creeping one. He might have been fragile as a kid, but… Brian, in his own twisted way, was glad he had the courage to take down the Lycanroc. Because of that, Meggie was safe, and Morgan had lost an ally.

He hated having found joy in that hideous act. But there was nothing Brian could do to shake that feeling off. At least for now. So, instead, he laid down again, trying to fall asleep. Maybe in his dreams, he could find peace. It was the best option he had right now.

* * *

The Froslass stood outside of the hospital. After that troublesome day, all she wanted was to sleep for twenty-four hours. Sadly, that wasn't possible. Soon enough, her mind drifted back to her human memories… or what she could remember, anyway. She tried to recollect more events, without success.

She looked at the sky, seeing the full moon gleaming on top of her. Its beauty was striking, of course.

That was when she heard someone clearing their throat, along with the sound of four paws touching the ground. Returning to the real world, Meggie saw an Arcanine in front of her, the police badge making her recognize who it was.

"Oh… detective Apollo!" she said, forcing a smile. "What can I do for you?"

"Seems like your team returned from the road trip!" the canine chuckled, sitting down on all fours.

She sort of wanted to have feet again, floating wasn't as exciting as it appeared. Regardless, he was waiting for an answer.

"We… did," she looked at herself, now having a genuine smile. "I evolved earlier today, to be honest."

"Really? Congrats!" Apollo smiled, tail wagging slightly. "Evolving with a stone is weird, if you ask me!"

"Oh? You used a stone too? I think mine was called… dawn?" she scratched her chin, thinking.

"Yeah! That's the one! Mine was a fire stone. Let me tell you something… the rumors that everyone tells can be so weird."

Now curious, Meggie looked at him. "As in: 'hey, you gotta die to evolve!' weird?"

Apollo couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, they told me I had to get burned! For Arceus sake, what's up with that?"

"I know, right?" she chuckled.

But then Meggie remembered something. She was asking him questions! She made a mental note not to get distracted again.

Meggie raised a brow. "Detective, what brings you here? I mean, you have a job, right?"

Apollo blinked and stood up, clearing his throat again. "S-Sorry! Well, I wanted to see how that Grovyle you rescued was. I need to set up an escort and all that…"

Unconvinced, Meggie crossed her arms. "Anything else?"

"Well, that was the cop reason for my visit," Apollo whined, looking down. "But yeah, I'm also here to check on Brian. I like the kid. He was surprisingly helpful during some of my cases."

Apollo continued on and on about that. Meggie, without much of a choice, listened to him praising the Zoroark for what felt like hours. She was waiting for a moment when he would shut up. When that finally came, it was her turn to ask questions.

"...How do you even know we're here?" she asked.

The canine smiled again. "The city's guard told me you returned."

"Okay… well, we're fine. For the most part. Lance—" before she spilled everything, Meggie stopped herself. It probably wasn't a good idea to tell the news.

Sadly for her, Apollo noticed, raising a brow. "Lance… what?"

_Shoot. Well, the best way to lie is with the truth…_

Meggie bit her lip. "He met up with his abuser. A Gallade named… Morgan. This devastated him. I'm not even sure where he is right now."

Apollo frowned, but believed her. He looked down once more, sighing. It really was a tragedy… Apollo wanted to do something more to help.

"I… do you know if Lance's home?"

"He visited us too, but stormed off," she looked into the street, searching for the Lucario, but found nothing.

"Got it. Thanks anyway, Meggie," he walked towards the entrance, turning his face back to look at her. "I'll handle things with the Grovyle for now, but… be safe. Alright?"

She nodded and waved as he entered the hospital.

_Safe… I hope we'll all be safe. Whatever Morgan's planning, I hope we can stop it._

* * *

Lance and Scar walked away from the park, the Marowak holding a case with the chess pieces. Lance seemed to be better, smiling in the corner of his mouth. To make it clearer, his tail swished. But inside, Lance cursed that limb, annoyed that it did that everytime he was happy.

"I'm impressed with your skills, mister Williams," the Marowak smiled. "Honestly, you could be a pro player."

Lance continued to walk, grumbling. "I told you before… this game is not for me."

"...I have a question for you, mister Williams."

This time, he turned around. "What… is it?"

Scar looked at him straight in the eye and spoke."Do you believe that, to defeat evil, you must become a greater one? Or will you surrender to it?"

Lance's reaction was a silent one. He said no words, only gazing at Scar. Out of nowhere he dropped that question? But then again, he did confess about the murders he committed. Maybe this was Scar's way of reassuring him?

"...In either case, evil remains," he finally answered.

"Exactly. It's a paradox," Scar said, looking up at the sky. "What I mean is that… I understand why you're so conflicted, but I still think you're on the right path."

The Lucario growled, his aura sensors started twitching. "How? My friends rejected me…"

"I think they're just confused," Scar then scratched his chin in thought. "Have you tried taking things out to bring them back to your side?"

"Sure! Because that's totally going to work!" Lance shrugged, growling at Scar. "Why didn't I think of that?! It's such a great idea!"

Scar sighed. This was being harder than it should be. Nonetheless, he wasn't a quitter, not at all. If he was taller, he would have tapped Lance's shoulders. Since that wasn't the case, he went for a friendly smile.

"I think you should try. Brian's your brother, you've known him your whole life, mister Williams. And Meggie… she's a good girl. I'm sure she'll listen."

Lance's sensors were still twitching, feeling Scar's emotions. The aura waves he radiated were calm, normal. Too normal. But that wasn't important. For all intents and purposes, Scar wasn't lying to him. Either that, or he was a good liar. But… with how much helpful he was during that entire week, Lance decided to trust him.

"Alright. I'll give it a go. It's not like I have anything else to lose, anyway…"

A broken husk of a Pokémon. That was all Lance was. In his mind, anyway. The duo went back to walking, this time into the streets of the city, going towards the hospital. Despite his anxiety over that, Lance made a promise he intended to keep.

* * *

After having her moment to relax, Meggie went back inside Brian's room, finding him sleeping. Not wanting to wake him up, she slowly floated on top of a chair and lowered her body, sitting on it.

_Why does this have to be so hard…? I didn't… ask for all of this. All this fighting._

Meggie looked at Brian, sighing.

_And in the end, Lance was just like him. But… is he? I don't think he was born this way._

For one moment, just a single one… she thought about Morgan again. How he constantly tried to win her back, and she refused each time. What if she did? Would things be better that way? There was no way of knowing. And just the fact that he ruined the lives of so many innocents made her want to puke.

At least… at least they rescued one of the missing kids. Just that one child. It was like she was trying to tell herself something. What it was… she didn't know. Some kind of motivation to keep going.

_I'm not a hero, I'm… just me. But my friends need me. I need to fight… even if I don't want to, I must…!_

Another question came to mind. Something frightening. She shivered at the thought of it.

"What would I die for?"

"...I dunno."

Meggie jolted back. Brian was staring at her. He suddenly stood up. With a sigh, the fox approached her, smiling.

"I have no idea… what you would die for."

Meggie frowned, shaking her head. "I was just… thinking. About what we're gonna do in the future. How are we… handling the thing with Lance?"

"Heh," Brian laughed, ruffling his mane. "This hero thing… it's hard."

"Yeah, yeah. I don't know either."

Brian looked at the room's window, seeing the city. So many Pokémon, just… living their lives peacefully.

"Dad told me something once. That a true hero is one who acts… even without hope," Brian said, looking at himself.

He now looked at Meggie. "...Without witness."

She simply listened to him, without being really sure how to react to that.

"...And without reward."

"Are you saying we're like that?" she tilted her head.

Brian shrugged, sitting down on the bed again. This time, his ears drooped again.

"Look, I… I'm not sure how we'll handle Lance now. The things he did…"

"…What can we do?!"

Brian put his hands around his cheeks, standing up and walking in circles. "I don't know, I don't know! Lance… why did he turn out this way?!"

"I… can I tell you the truth?" she asked, and when she saw Brian nodding, she continued. "He's reminding me of Morgan. The way he's… a murderer."

Brian frowned. "You're scared of him too?"

"With everything I've seen him do? Yeah…"

They heard the door knocking one time, but the one who did that soon ran away, the footsteps were also heard by the duo.

Whatever that was, it was over. Meggie went on to Brian's side and tried to comfort him to the best of her abilities.

* * *

As it turned out, Lance had just gotten there. The walk from the park really didn't take too long, a few minutes, really. But now… he didn't even hear most of the conversation Brian and Meggie were having. He didn't need to. His aura sensors did all the job.

It was suffocating. Like being choked to death by someone. Lance held on to the wall as he walked to the exit. He was struggling to breathe as the feelings they felt were being drawn to him.

Being an aura user didn't mean positive things all the time. Right now, that same sense that Lance relied on was overwhelming him.

They were scared of him! Of course they were… why wouldn't they be? He was a monster. A monster. A murderer. Killer. Nothing good could come out of him.

_I'm… not good._

Some of the nurses were running towards him, perhaps trying to help, but that hardly mattered right now. Lance ignored them, dashing forward with his eyes closed. Nothing and nobody mattered. Each step he took felt heavier than the other, until…

He was finally out, and once again, Scar was waiting, just outside the hospital. Lance raised his head, he would sigh if he wasn't so busy breathing after that crisis.

"Are you okay?"

"What do you think?!" Lance shouted, showing his fangs.

"It… didn't work out in the end, didn't it?"

"They're scared of me. My family, my friends…" Lance was shaking, trying desperately to hold on.

"I see. Well… it looks like you're in the deepest pit of your life, aren't you?"

"...Yes."

Scar frowned. "Oh, I'm… sorry. I'm really sorry. This shouldn't have happened. I really thought it would work, mister Wiliams."

Lance created an Aura Sphere and growled. "Well, it didn't. Now what?!"

The sphere soon faded into nothingness. Scar sighed, looking at him as he approached the Lucario. He was on the verge of tears, and Scar knew that. He needed to help.

"Mister Williams… I have a proposal for you."

Lance barely heard it the first time Scar said that. He had to say it again for Lance to pay attention.

"What is it?"

In that moment… Lance listened. His eyes widened after hearing everything Scar had to say. His trembling slowly diminished, until he calmed down. His tears, his frown… they all disappeared, leaving only the stoic look again.

Despite everything, Lance was still himself. "...I accept."


	34. Dungeon 32 - Where Evil Grows

Rain clouds formed above the city of Bright Dawn. The wind howled and thunder struck, its noise reverberating in the air. Down on the ground, a few figures could be seen: an Arcanine, wearing a rain cape, specifically designed for his quadruped boy, alongside a Dewott and a Throh. Accompanying them was a Grovyle, head lowered. Every one of them wore capes.

Another sound drew their attention; someone stepped on the wet floor. Looking back, Grovyle saw a Zoroark, also wearing a cape, with goggles on his eyes.

"Don't worry, kid! You'll be fine!" Brian said, trying to reassure the reptile.

"O-Oh, hi, mister Brian!" Grovyle said, bowing. "Thank you for rescuing me."

Apollo turned around as well, grinning. He raised his left front paw and gave Brian a shake.

"I also need to thank you, Brian," Apollo nodded. "That was very reckless of you, but… it all turned out fine in the end."

The fox smiled sheepishly, rubbing his mane and muttering something to himself. Apollo chuckled, nodding to Brian. He pulled the Zoroark into a hug and backed away, swishing his fluffy tail.

"You're still going after the kidnapper, right?"

"It's the right thing to do," Brian clenched his fist. "I gotta stop him from doing this again…"

"Got it, kiddo!" Apollo barked, turning around again. "We'll be leaving now, so… take care of yourself. I hope it's gonna be okay!"

With a nod, Brian walked away from them, looking at the cloudy sky. He, too, hoped they won that battle. For his brother…

_No. Not just Lance. It's not **only** about him anymore._

Sighing, Brian continued marching into the streets of the city.

* * *

The rain couldn't get inside the guild's training room. Because of that, Scar could practice all he needed, without having his fire attacks weakened. Right now, he was facing Lance, the Lucario seemed to be meditating, circled by swords of energy that he promptly absorbed.

"Let's see what you can do… I won't even need to use my club against you. Not even with that Swords Dance."

Lance growled. "Do _not_ underestimate me."

Scar took a quick look at Lance. The Lucario now had a looplet around his right arm with an emera on it. He looked around. The room was large, and was surrounded by a large barrier. Scar figured it was made possible by a Counter Orb, but gave no more thoughts about that.

In the middle of the room, Lance saw a weird contraption with a circular-shaped hole in it. He remembered his brother explaining that it was to help with training, releasing a random orb every few minutes. He shrugged it off, focused only on the battle, he needed to get back in shape for the mission.

_Let's… do this._

Lance charged, his swift movement leaving dust marks on the floor where he stood. In his right paw, the Lucario produced a purple sphere. Scar merely stood there, head raised and prepared to receive the attack. He knew that move wouldn't affect him, being a ghost-type and all, so he made no effort to dodge it, merely taunting Lance into hitting him.

"Come on! I don't know what you're planning, but using that won't work against me, mister Williams!"

The aura Pokémon merely smirked and, before he could hit the Marowak, Lance threw the sphere on the ground in front of him. The result of that was a medium-sized sandstorm, blocking Scar's view. Lance, however, still had his aura sense, and used that opportunity to create a large bone club made of energy, hitting Scar with it.

Scar cringed when the impact hit, being pushed back by it. Still, he stood up, seeing the wound on his abdomen.

"Well done! Using your surroundings to your advantage!"

"Hmph," Lance shrugged, hearing a clicking sound that made his ears twitch.

The contraption let out an orb that rolled on the ground until it stopped. Both combatants saw that and rushed to grab it first. Despite his usual quick movements, Lance had to back away before a wall of green flames hit him.

Said wall was actually Scar, using one of his moves to gain more speed and grab the orb. Lance put his hands in front of his face, growling to his opponent.

"Sadly, it seems like I won this little race, mister Williams!"

 _Or… maybe not!_ Lance thought, smirking again.

His paw flashed silver and he aimed at the orb, launching a metallic stream of energy towards it. When it hit the sphere, it shattered, knocking Scar to the wall until he fell to the ground.

Scar got up again, throwing back his head in a heartfelt laugh. He then approached Lance, smiling at him.

"Congratulations. You learned the lesson here! I think it's safe to say this little battle is over, mister Williams."

"Whatever," Lance scoffed.

"You used my strength against me! Impressive…" Scar continued to clap.

"Right, right… what now, then? I'm exhausted, and my aura isn't back to normal yet."

The two walked away from the training area, now strolling across a hall.

Scar continued. "Or perhaps that is the normal for you. Who knows? Did this training session make you relax a bit more?"

Lance shook his head. "It's been a week, my friends still don't talk to me… the last thing they said to me was that they're still on the mission, and will deal with me later."

The Marowak tapped Lance's shoulders with a friendly smile on his face. "Don't worry… I'm sure you did the right thing."

Lance frowned. "I know, I know, I accepted the proposal you gave me… I just wish they talked to me again."

"Well, perhaps one day you'll meet up with Jirachi… maybe he can help you."

"Hmph."

Not quite sure how to react, Scar merely tapped Lance's shoulders again as they walked. Today, they scheduled to meet up with the team, considering a week-long rest was more than enough time before they continued the mission.

* * *

Brian entered the guild, putting his long cape amongst the others on the cabinet. He fiddled with his bag, checking to see if one of his inventions was safe. Fortunately, it was, and he could show the others!

"Heh."

He soon walked to the left, following the corridor until he was in the cafeteria. There, he saw the other members of the team, along with Meganium, sitting and chatting with each other. His smile faded when he saw Lance there, but Brian tapped his cheeks to ignore it.

"Wassup!" he shouted, sitting as well.

Lance noticed it, but kept quiet, heart thumping in anxiety. Meganium turned her gaze to the Zoroark and smiled.

"Well, it seems everyone is here! Very well… I suppose now we can discuss what the next step is, correct?"

Scar confirmed with a nod, as did everyone else but Brian. He sighed and then confirmed too. He was a bit nervous, but tried his best to not let it grab his attention, after all, the mission was more important.

"I would like to tell you all about my mistress, Xerneas, and how that vile Gallade tried to take her powers away," Meganium said; her voice sounded strict to the others.

Brian scratched his mane. "You sure Xerneas really exists? I-I mean, don't want to sound like an idiot, but—"

"Silence," Meganium said. "As I was saying before being interrupted, I will talk about my mistress… I've served her during my entire life, and I devote myself to her."

The others listened in silence, but each reacted differently to that. Lance was a bit skeptical and crossed his arms. Meggie, curious like always, had her eyes on Meganium. Brian scratched his chin and waited. The other three were as casual as they could be, not expressing any emotion other than amazement.

"She is the embodiment of life itself, and anyone that tries to harm her is a threat to our very existence…"

Brian raised his arm. "Got it, lady! And what does this guy want with her, anyway?"

"You will know if you remain quiet," she said, and Brian could swear he felt the coldness of her voice.

"O-Ok, then…" his ears drooped.

She continued. "It all started fifteen years ago…"

* * *

A Kirlia walked around a forest, looking up at the sky. There, he saw just how big the trees were, covering most of the place. He stood there, mesmerized, until he heard a snarl that drew his attention.

From behind a few bushes came a Breloom, screeching and swishing its tail around. Kirlia growled, his attention unknowingly shifting to the clattering sound the tail produced. It distracted him enough that he didn't notice Breloom firing seeds at a high speed towards him. Kirlia stumbled back, dodging a few of them, until one hit his arm, exploding on impact, grazing him.

"You little pest…"

Kirlia's eyes were glowing pink and he extended his hand. Breloom hissed, jumping towards him. Before Kirlia could do anything, however, a few vines slapped Breloom, and it ran away, screeching.

"...Thank you." This time, Kirlia looked back and sighed, continuing his stroll.

As he marched, Kirlia saw a Meganium standing right in front of him. He bowed to her, nearly dropping the bag he carried. The grass-type scoffed.

Her eyes struck him like blades. "Hmph. It took you so long to follow me in the dungeon. Don't you know what happens if you stay too long there?"

"I _would_ be faster, but that pest—" he was interrupted by a piercing glare from Meganium.

"Morgan, what have I told you about the ferals?"

He sighed. "Their life is just as important as ours…"

She raised a brow, not fully convinced that he meant it. But they didn't really have time to lose on that, so she continued.

"I also thought that the trees would jog my memory," Morgan bit his lip. "At this point, I'm desperate."

"Morgan, they won't. You lived here for fifteen years and they didn't do anything!"

Kirlia tapped the ground. "Don't act like this is my fault, Meganium. I've tried using my so-called 'psychic powers' to get them back, and it didn't work!"

"I know, I know…" Meganium sighed.

"Listen, I just want to get my memories back and go home… I never asked for any of this."

"Look, I know I said this a million times, but you needed to prove your worth before I could introduce you to my mistress."

"And it happened now?" Morgan raised a brow, seeing Meganium nod.

Morgan rolled his eyes and continued to walk. He abruptly stopped, gasping at the sight before him: a beautiful and large tree, with trunks that extended high in the air, and to top it all off, the leaves were rainbow-colored.

He couldn't believe the sheer beauty of it all, but shook his head. No! That didn't matter, he wanted to go back to his world and nothing more than that. Meganium, right behind him, frowned.

* * *

"H-Hold up, hold up!" Brian suddenly said, gasping. "Are you saying you knew him, that psycho—"

Meganium's stare was enough to make him shut up. She stood up, sighing. "Yes, even without his memories, Morgan was always… like that. Excuse me for a second, I'm a bit thirsty. I'll be right back."

As she left to get a refreshment, it gave the opportunity for the others to comment on the explanation they just heard.

Meggie was the first one to speak. "So… he went to that 'Tree of Life' thing to get his memories back? I… wonder if I can do that too."

"Not sure if that's the best course of action, Meg." Lance looked at her, being received by a grumble. Still, he continued. "I-I mean… sometimes it's best to forget about something."

"Fellas, fellas…" Max tapped Lance's shoulders. "Look, we're all on the same side here. Why don't we try to be nice to one another, eh? It sounds like a great idea!"

Meganium came back, carrying a cup of water with her vines. She sat down, now ready to get back to the explanation they desired.

"Now, where was I? Of course… see, Morgan was my protégée, so to speak. He landed on the island where the Tree of Life is located, and I took him under my wing… metaphorically speaking, of course."

The others listened to her in silence, still curious about the story.

"He said he was a human, but other than that and his age, he remembered nothing and wanted to go home."

Meggie grumbled. _I'm a human too…_

"I said he had a chance to get his memories and return to the human world if he met my mistress, but…"

* * *

Kirlia soon found himself standing at the roots of the large tree. He looked up; as he presumed, the plant was gigantic. How many feet was it? And just how strong was that wood? Well, since it housed a legendary, Morgan assumed it was resilient enough.

"Come on now, Morgan. We need to enter the tree. Don't touch anything, the walk will be long."

Hearing Meganium's words, Morgan followed her inside. His heart thumped in anxiety and excitement. He was ecstatic to meet Xerneas and finally go home. Something nagged on the back of his head, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was something about a woman… no, that wasn't important right now. Like Meganium said, he had to walk.

The inside of the tree was mostly hollow, with stairs made of wood and a few doors inside. Since Meganium worked for Xerneas, Morgan presumed that those doors were the rooms of other subordinates.

_How wonderful it must be to have all those under your control… interesting. Xerneas must be incredibly powerful._

Meganium hushed so he would stop getting distracted by random things. Sighing, he continued to walk in the stairs, until he found himself on another floor.

This one had wooden tables and chairs, and Morgan saw a Simisage putting plates with berries on top of all the tables in the area.

_That must be the cook… it seems they're all vegetarians. Hm, interesting._

Meganium stopped to chat with the monkey for a bit, and Morgan took the time to analyse the place. All he could think of was how a powerful fire-type Pokémon could ruin it all. Smirking to himself, Morgan wondered how strong someone needed to be to take the tree down.

"Let's go, Morgan."

He snapped back to reality and climbed the staircase again. As he did so, Morgan began to feel a heaviness on his chest. He stopped, grasping his chest with one of his hands. Meganium turned back and simply chuckled.

"Looks like my mistress is already checking your nature…"

"She's checking my _what_? What nonsense are you speaking?"

Meganium frowned. "Be respectful, Morgan. I'm merely trying to help you."

He shrugged. "I know, I know. We're here to get my memories back and find a way to bring me home…"

* * *

After what appeared to be hours walking up stairs, Kirlia arrived at the top of the tree. A long room, where he saw her. The legendary Pokémon Meganium had told him so much about. Mistress Xerneas was looking at the outside world through a gap in the tree. She turned around and fiercely looked at them.

Meganium bowed, but Morgan stood there. He felt an enormous pressure just _standing_ there and gazing at the large Pokémon. She didn't say anything, merely exchanging looks with Morgan. The Kirlia felt his body weak and trembling like never before. Was that… the power of a Legend? A huge grin spread across his face, and a sudden rush of vines forced him to his knees.

"I'm sorry, my mistress. Morgan is not used to this, but he means well. We're here… as promised."

**"Thank you, Meganium. This is the… human you mentioned before, correct?"**

Morgan gulped, unable to stand up in the presence of Xerneas. As much as he hated to admit it, she was intimidating.

Meganium finally raised her head, standing up on all four legs. "Correct. This is Morgan, my protégée. I've been teaching him for about fifteen years."

Xerneas stepped forward, the very air around then shook for a second. She still looked at Morgan, not showing any expressions. It was like the aura around them exerted a force like gravity.

She finally spoke. **"Human. You're here to recover your memories, correct?"**

"Y-Yes, mistress. I am—well, was—a human. I want to go back home…"

Xerneas closed her eyes, but nonetheless, the pressure was still there. Morgan tried to move, but his body didn't answer him.

**"I sense… that you weren't called here. In other words, you're here because you chose to be here."**

"W...What?" Morgan blinked. "What do you mean?! I didn't choose to be here! Not with all those—"

**"Silence."**

Morgan immediately shut up and gulped. There he was, facing a being so much more powerful than himself, and unable to do much. Xerneas could very well end him right there, but she chose not to.

**"What I mean by this, human, is that the reason you're here is because you brought yourself here. If I recover your memories, you might be able to figure out how you arrived here."**

"Are you saying… you can make me remember everything?!" a faint smile spread across Morgan's face.

Xerneas continued staring at him. **"I can help you with that. You're not a trained psychic, so there's a limit to how much you can recover on your own. Therefore, my assistance is necessary."**

* * *

Now sitting down, Kirlia closed his eyes and meditated. As Xerneas told him, they would share a psychic link, and she would use that to help him restore his memories.

_Hmph. Let's hope this works…_

**_It will._ **

Morgan saw himself in a starry void, where his body glowed pink. He floated in the air, and looked in front of him; where he saw a massive rip in the fabric of space.

_What's… that?_

_**That is known as an Ultra Wormhole. Somehow, you must have come here through one. Curious, perhaps your world is on the other side.** _

Nodding, he stared at the wormhole and swam towards it. There was nowhere else to go, after all. Once he got close enough, Morgan touched it. Despite being incorporeal, he felt a sharp pain all across his body.

The worst was yet to come, as his body was slowly sucked inside the portal, with his screams filling the entire area.

* * *

Kirlia opened his eyes again, and nearly gasped. A whole city was beneath him, with streets and other creatures… humans like him! He saw a tower.

_This is… Lumiose city!_

**_Do you recognize it, human?_ **

_Yes. I… I live here, I was born here!_

**_This is a construct based on your subconscious memories. Perhaps if you find your past self here, you might recover your memories._ **

Morgan did as instructed, hovering a few inches off the ground and checking every building, every corner he could think of. He felt a sense of urgency, like he needed to get that done as soon as possible.

Yet, nothing came to mind. He wasn't able to remember where he lived, where he worked, anything! Then, he thought of something. That nagging feeling he had before, about a woman… he tried to think about her, maybe it would help.

As he did so, a figure materialized in front of him. Human, much like him, a girl, with red hair and a lab coat. Her face was recognizable to him.

_...Meggie! I-I remember you!_

**_Is that someone you know, human?_ **

_My, my… assistant! I think I know where I need to go!_

**_Then do it, it seems like we're nearly there._ **

Nodding, Morgan floated through the air, until he saw a large building, with scientists coming and going. That was it, that's where he would finally remember everything. With a deep breath, he entered the building.

Being incorporeal had its advantage, the biggest one being that he didn't have to worry about walls or anything of the sort. He simply phased through them. Flying across the floors, Morgan smiled wider and wider as he approached the top.

_Almost… there!_

He stopped inside a large room with what seemed to be a circular machine, connected to computers, something Morgan remembered right then. And right in front of the machine was a man, in his mid twenties, dressed in a lab coat.

_He's me. This is… what I look like. Isn't it?_

Morgan floated towards the man, extending his arm. This was his opportunity, but he struggled to do it. Why was he hesitating? It was right in front of him, all he needed was to touch his human self.

In a quick movement, Morgan did it. When he touched his past self, Morgan screamed, memories flooding to his mind. Family, work, friends, everything came back to him, tears streaming down.

Morgan backed away, panting and exhausted. His human counterpart began to type on the computer, as the woman he recognized entered the room.

"Good morning, doctor Jones."

"Ah, Meggie! It's great to see you! Looks like we're almost there…" he said, not even looking at his assistant, too busy with the computer to do that.

Meggie ruffled her hair. "Do you really think we should capture them? They're sapient, like us. I'm not sure if this is the right course of action…"

To that, he laughed. "Absolutely! Listen, Meggie, we're humans! We're built to capture those creatures, it's… natural selection, really."

"...Alright, doctor."

Still unconvinced, but not wanting to make her boss angry, Meggie sat on a table and also began to type.

The circular machine began to rumble and shake, producing a space-shattering sound as a wormhole appeared there. The two scientists stood up and looked at each other, hugging.

"We did it! We created a portal to another dimension!"

"Yes, doctor Jones!" Meggie jumped in happiness, clapping her hands together.

Morgan's human self decided to check the portal closely. That was his mistake; his happy expression turned into a scared one as the portal began to grow. Meggie, noticing this, tried to grab her boss, but was unable to, as he was sucked inside.

Kirlia watched in shock as his fragile and ghostly body began to crumble, as did the area around him, until he was in the void again. Paralyzed, Morgan stopped floating and began to fall.

* * *

Kirlia fell down with a gasp, seeing that he was still inside the tree. Xerneas looked at him with a rage in her eyes. Like him, she saw the memories too.

**"You… you wanted to destroy us! I cannot allow this. I must eliminate you… now!"**

Morgan stood up, barely, and panted. "Serves you right, you, all of you… savages! That's what you are! You pretend to be civilized like me, a human, but in the end… you're beneath us!"

Meganium stared at him, leaves beginning to form around her. Morgan, realizing they wanted to attack him, began to laugh.

"This is ridiculous! I want to go home! I don't care about this filthy and ridiculous place anymore! Bring me back!"

**"...I cannot. The realm of space is off-limits."**

"Oh, then bring me to the one who controls the realm! I'm through with every single one of you! I can't handle this any longer! This body… it isn't my own!"

 **"Silence. You will repent."** Xerneas began to charge a glowing red beam.

Running out of options, Morgan focused all the energy he had and looked at the stairs, disappearing in a flash of light. Meganium took notice of this and ran towards the stairs, only to find him teleporting again.

* * *

Meggie crossed her arms. So legends were, in fact, real. She wondered why her friends never mentioned them, but… maybe they had a reason for that. She noticed Meganium stopping to catch her breath, and so, Meggie raised her arm.

"Yes, Froslass?"

"Okay, okay. I have a question… what exactly was the plan? I mean, does Xerneas have a portal to the human world or something?"

"That type of space manipulation is restricted, young lady," Meganium said. "Very few Legends are capable of opening Ultra Wormholes, you see."

Lance frowned. "I thought Legends didn't exist…"

Meganium laughed, lowering her head. "Ah, of course. You might not believe in them, but they do exist. They just.. don't act in our world. Very few of them do."

Meggie tilted her head in confusion. "Uh, you didn't answer my question. What was your plan back then? Couldn't Xerneas open a portal or something?"

"My mistress has no jurisdiction over the realm of space, as that is Palkia's job."

Lance grumbled. First, he had to digest that Xerneas was real. And now they were talking about Palkia?! He couldn't believe it unless he saw it for himself.

The Lucario crossed his arms. "And where is Palkia, anyway? If you're so versed with Legends, couldn't you just bring Morgan to Palkia?"

Meganium sighed. "Nobody has seen him, or anyone of the Creation Trio in eons. Not even my mistress knows where they are."

Brian was, to say the least, surprised at the whole story. It was like all his childhood dreams came true! He wished to see them, and maybe befriend them. Oh, how cool that would be! He twitched his ears. Something about that story didn't feel right, so he thought about what exactly was bugging him.

"Oh! Miss Meganium, question!"

"Yes?"

Brian clicked his claws and ruffled his mane. "Uh, how do you know what was inside his brain? Because, like… it was only him and Xerneas, right?"

Meganium sighed. "...No. As his caretaker, my mistress allowed me to enter the psychic link, but I was merely a watcher."

"...Oh."

The entire team looked at Meganium, who was now drinking another cup of water. After she finished it, she sighed.

"Despite my best efforts, he escaped. It took me years to track him down."

Meggie was shocked the most. She also wanted to recover her memories, but hearing that… it made things worse.

Scar set his gaze on Meganium. "I understand. And what exactly is he planning with Xerneas?"

"...He wants to take her power," she frowned. "He told me so, when I met him again, he captured me. He wants to capture my mistress and absorb her power so he can go home."

"That doesn't even make sense!" Brian said, scratching his chin.

Max nodded at Brian. "Yeah! Didn't Xerneas say space wasn't her deal?"

Meganium shook her head. "But Morgan can teleport. In his current state, he has limits. But if he were to take a Legend's power to himself…"

"He can warp between dimensions," Lance growled, punching the table in anger. After moving his paw away, he saw it left a mark on the table.

Scar stood up. "It appears this is getting a bit out of hand, gentlemon. But we must continue. It's been a week since our last encounter."

"Yeah, he has to be moving along too." Lilith agreed.

"In this case, I would be happy to guide everyone to my mistress' home."

Lance was quiet. On one hand, that was his mission, his way of overcoming his past. On the other, he wasn't sure he could handle it.

Meggie shared his sentiment, as the entire story only made her insecurities grow. "M-Maybe we should quit, I-I mean… maybe this is fate. We can't escape it."

The others exchanged worried looks, all but Brian, who was looking down, lost in thought.

"Come on, guys!" Brian finally got up, a serious look on his face. "We can do this! I don't believe in fate or any crap like that! But even if it does exist… we're gonna liberate ourselves from it!"

He extended his paw, waiting for the others. One by one, his friends touched it, except Lance. He felt nervous and didn't want to do it, until he saw Brian smiling at him. This made Lance touch the paw, along with everyone there.

* * *

Morgan took the goggles he had and put them on a table. His grin was wide, and he looked at his newest invention: a purple pokéball, with the letter "M" inscribed on it. The Gallade sighed in relief.

Derek knocked on the door and entered, eyes fixed on the ball.

"What's that, boss?"

"Derek, my right-hand… this is called 'master ball', a type of pokéball that never fails its target. With this, I will be able to catch Xerneas. That stupid Legend will have what it's coming for her… and I'll finally leave this wretched world."

Derek nodded. "Oh, I see… what about that team? They have our plans now, right?"

"That's where you come in, I finally assembled my team, and you will help me with this…"

Morgan got up, a regular pokéball on his hand. Derek was confused, but didn't question anything. Instead, he waited for his boss to answer.

"You will be in charge of handling those pests, I'm sure they know what I plan by now. I want you to intercept them on their way to the Sea of Wonders, alright?"

"Got it, boss!" Derek said proudly, puffing out his chest.

"Good…"

Derek scratched his chin. "And what about you?"

"I'm heading first, to make sure I can get to the island where the tree is located. I want you to know, Derek, that you play a very important part in my plan…"

"Alright, alright! I get it! I'm not failing you!"

"Good. Because you know what will happen if you do, right?"

"...Yes."

* * *

Still at the guild, Brian opened his bag, taking out a metallic gauntlet and facing a wooden mannequin. Max, right by his side, tilted his head. He knew the Zoroark was a mechanic, but wasn't expecting something like that. Curious.

"Alright! You must be asking why I called you here, right?!"

Max simply shrugged. "I assumed you wanted a friendly spar."

Brian stuck out his tongue and picked something from his bag: a small yellow sphere, that he inserted into a hole on top of his gauntlet. When he did so, it started to spark with electricity, leaving Max dumbstruck.

"Wait, you made a weapon? That's neat!"

"Heh," Brian smirked. "I saw how you used an electric punch, and decided to make something for myself! I call this baby… shocker! Ain't it cool?!"

Max returned the smile. "The name? Nah. But the weapon? Yeah! I'm impressed, little guy!"

"I'm using a light ball as the source of power! I figured it would be useful for this thing…"

To prove his point, Brian pointed at one of the mannequins the area had and punched it, releasing a shock wave around the doll and shattering it to pieces. Brian widened his eyes, falling on his butt.

"O-Oh, shit! I didn't think it would be this powerful!"

"Are you okay?" Max asked, helping Brian get up.

He removed the gauntlet, seeing his fur scorched. "Yeah! I might need to work on this a little more, regulate the voltage and all that…"

"You might want to add something to insulate this. A grounding cover or something?"

"I think I'll use Seismitoad scales. It might help…" Brian scratched his chin. "Oh! I had another idea!"

"Really? Well, go for it, kiddo! This might help us!"

Brian chuckled, putting the accessory back in his bag. He gave Max a fist bump and walked off to work on his next project.

The Electivire scratched his head and sighed, walking out of there as well.

* * *

Meggie stood on the roof of the condominium she lived in, rain droplets falling on her face. She didn't move, thinking about all she heard about her former boss and friend.

Biting her lip, Meggie clenched her fist. All she wanted right now was to scream, to hide in her bed. But she knew that wouldn't help anyone. She knew they needed her. And she needed them as well.

Sounds of footsteps were getting closer to her, and then a familiar voice. "Can I join you in the brooding session?"

It was the Pokémon she least wanted to see right now; Lance. The Lucario knew that, and so he didn't try to get close to his friend.

"What do you want, Lance? I think I made myself clear before, I need some time to think."

"I know, I know…" he rubbed his arm. "Is just that… I have an idea of what's on your mind right now."

"Oh yeah, what is it?" she asked without even facing him.

Lance looked away from her. "You're scared that if you get your memories back, you'll end up like him."

He was right. What if she was like him? And the fact she lost her memories was the only reason she didn't commit the same things he did?

"...Look, Meggie. I understand why you're upset with me. But trust me, you won't have to deal with that for much longer."

This time, she faced Lance. "What are you saying?"

"I… really can't answer this right now, so I'll focus on the thing that's bothering you."

She didn't say anything more, so Lance resumed his speech.

Lance sighed. "I don't think you're like him. Morgan… he was as much of a psycho as he is now, even without his memories. But you?"

"Yeah, what about me?"

"You're gentle, and strong, kind-hearted. You're nothing like him at all."

Hearing that, Meggie blushed. "T-Thank you, Lance. Maybe… maybe you're right."

"I don't know. It's just a thought," he looked up at the night sky. "At the beginning, I did think you were with him, but now? I know you're not. Like Brian said, we'll liberate our fate if we have to."

Meggie smiled. "Move forward, right?"

"Yeah, move forward…"

She smiled and floated, entering the building and leaving Lance alone.

Alone. Like he deserved. With a growl, Lance stared at the stars, hoping things were different, unable to hold back a tear from falling into the ground. His aura flared up, colored purple.

_No. Calm down, Lance… you're not alone._

He took a deep breath to calm down and, to test something out, produced an Aura Sphere on his hand. Like he thought, it didn't go back to being blue.

_Very well, then. Despite everything, I'm still me. And if this is the **real** me… then so be it._

The lavender glow around his body faded, and Lance raised his arm in the air, fist closed. He had to do this. Face his past and move forwards to the future. At some point, he would need to stand up against the Pokémon that made him who he was today, whether he was capable of doing that or not. He had to do it, not only for himself, but…

_For the greater good. I am a harbinger of justice. That's… who I am._

He continued there, looking over the city. His new home. And, even if his friends didn't want anything with him anymore, Lance accepted that.


	35. Dungeon 33 - Kickin' it to high-seas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do what you want cause a pirate is free, you are a pirate! Yarr har fiddle dee dee! Being a pirate is alright to be!! Do what you want cause a pirate is free! You are a pirate~!

A single caravel ship sailed across the mysterious and wonderful sea. Its hull was colored burnt orange and it broke the waves with a bobbing motion, white water cresting at the bow. The salty wind blew over its occupants, and one of them stuck her tongue out, rubbing it with her fingers, trying to get the taste off her mouth.

"Why is salt so… salty?!"

"Don't worry, darling!" said Lilith, approaching her friend, Meggie. The Froslass pouted, turning around.

Meggie shrugged. "Honestly I'm glad I don't get seasick… for some reason I thought I would. Still, I hope this doesn't take that long."

"Ya could rest in the cabins, don't cha think?" She put her hand over Meggie's shoulder, and walked inside.

Meanwhile, Max was steering the ship's rail. It was a job perfect for someone like him, who had bulky arms. And it was exciting! Max raised his head, letting the breeze ruffle his fur.

Behind him came Brian, the fox snickering, not as excited as his friend, but he had other things in mind.

"U-Uh, Max? Can I ask you if you're doing this right?" he licked his fingers, ruffling his long mane.

"Of course, lil' buddy! I've done this before, it'll be fine!"

Unconvinced, Brian forced a laugh. "I-It's just that I don't really like the ocean… death by drowning isn't on my bucket list!"

The Electivire gave Brian a big, toothy smile. "Hm… think of it this way! When I'm nervous, I try to crack jokes! It's good to take your mind off this kinda stuff!"

To that, Brian blinked. Oh, so he was like him! That was great! And honestly, Max was right. Brian pondered for a bit and snapped his fingers, a bright, red light covering his body.

Max didn't move, of course, as he was busy with the rail. He didn't notice the Zoroark shapeshifting into a Chatot.

"Shiver me timbers, I mean, Timburrs! How about we look fer some loot, eh?"

Max answered with an accent of his own."...'tis by far the lousiest pirate accent I've ever heard o'!"

Now back to normal, the fox continued to smirk, wrapping his arm around Max's shoulder. "Well, but ye 'ave heard o' me!"

"Tell me, Brian, wha' do ye reckon about a wee chanty t' help?"

"Aye! Let's do it!"

The duo breathed deeply, glancing at each other. With both of them smirking, the singing started.

Max began. "Do wha' ye wants cause a pirate be free, ye be a pirate!"

Brian, on the other hand, put a hand on his chest and continued the lyrics. "Yarr har fiddle dee dee! Bein' a pirate be alright t' be!"

"Do wha' ye wants cause a pirate be free! Ye be a pirate!"

"Ye be a pirate! Aye!"

Away from them, under the sea, two figures swam side by side. The tripulants didn't notice as one of them, a Garchomp, rose to the surface to breathe.

"I'm not failing, boss…"

* * *

On the deck, Scar and Lance were sitting down on the floor with their eyes closed. The latter was specifically doing breathing exercises, as he was not a big fan of travelling by ship.

_Well, if this is what I have to do, alright._

The two remained standing perfectly still, not even the wind made them stumble, instead it just ruffled Lance's fur and aura sensors. He continued to breathe deeply, until he felt his heart rate normalize. At that moment, he smiled.

Scar opened his right eye. "Now I want you to try something, mister Williams. I will instruct you into meditation, alright?"

Lance nodded, still with his eyes shut. "Ok. I've done this before with my dad, so I have… some idea. I should probably thank you anyway, though."

"Hm? What for?" he tilted his head, now with both eyes open.

"Helping me. Mentally, I mean," Lance mumbled, his face blushing red. "L-Look, it's not every day I do this, so just take it."

"Ha! You're funny, mister Williams. You're welcome. Now, shall we begin?"

The canine nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay, so I just focus on—"

Scar suddenly stood up, looking back to the edge of the ship. Without saying anything, he walked towards it. Lance, confused, followed him.

After they got there, Scar raised his head, feeling the breeze. He quietly hummed a beat, ignoring everything around him. Of course, Lance was more confused than before, and poked the Marowak's shoulder.

In response, Scar leaned back. "Alright, mister Williams. I would like you to do something."

Lance raised a brow. "What?"

"I would like to see how your aura is doing. I'm not an expert, I'm afraid, but I assure you, I know what I'm doing."

"Fine. And… how exactly are we doing this?"

With his bone club, Scar pointed to the sea. "We're surrounded by underwater life! And you, as an empath, can sense their aura. If everything is okay, your senses should still work."

Sighing, the teenager got near the edge of the ship and focused, closing his eyes. His entire body flared purple, glowing wildly, and Lance extended his right arm. The purple hue moved to his right paw. Lance's aura sensors picked up, and began to twitch, and he opened his eyes, both glowing the same color as his paw.

Meanwhile, Scar was simply observing. "I've made some research while we prepared for this trip. Would you like to know what I found out?"

Lance didn't answer, too focused on using his powers to care for what the Marowak had to say. He saw a _lot_ of auras inside the sea, too many to keep count of.

"I think I figured out why it's purple. According to my research…" He heard a growl coming from Lance, but soon continued. "Some say it symbolises healing from traumatic events in one's life."

"..."

"Others say it's a way of relieving anxiety. Which seems to fit you quite well, I must say."

Lance stumbled back, panting. He turned his gaze back to Scar, growling at him. "Okay, okay, I get it! I have PTSD! I have panic attacks, anxiety and depression! No need to drop that on me!"

"Breathe, mis—no, Lance," he tried giving a reassuring smile. "I know you're hurting, but you need to give yourself time to heal. You won't help anyone staying this way, don't you think?"

His ears drooped. "...You're right. Fine, fine. I understand."

"What do you think about training with the emera?" Scar pointed at the looplet Lance was wearing. "While you were berserk last time, I think you can handle the power."

Lance looked away, sighing. "I understand you're helping me, I really do. And I'm thankful for it, but… sometimes it overwhelms me."

He clenched his fist. Noticing that Scar didn't say anything else, Lance went on with his speech.

"Also, I know I accepted your proposal… and I'll do it. After everything is over, I promise. I… have to. For everyone that lives on this planet. They deserve to live a happy life."

_Even if my friends hate me for it…_

"Lucario are strong and willed, mister Williams. I believe in you. You're a good Pokémon."

He didn't answer, the Lucario simply looked up at the sky, thinking. Maybe he should try the emera.

In the sea, the two figures from before swam faster, following the trail of the ship.

* * *

Inside one of the boat's rooms, Meggie got one of the things she so desperately needed: a massage. To her shock, Lilith was really good at it.

The frosty ghost lay on a bed, receiving soft punches from her friend. Meggie didn't complain at all, and was just enjoying the moment. In stressful times like these, she needed some way of relaxing.

She let out a sigh of pleasure. "O-Oh, my… did you do this professionally or something? Lilith, you're wonderful!"

Lilith just chuckled. "Nah! I _am_ an archeologist, though! Working with rough areas is kinda my job."

"Really? That's cool! Pun… not intended!"

"Don't worry about it, darling! Honestly, not everyone would say that… so thanks!"

Meggie stretched her arms and yawned, almost drooling because that massage was just so good.

"So… what does an archeologist do?"

"We research ancient history!" the bunny smiled. "In my case, I graduated in the studies of the ancient Unown language."

"Oh? How can you graduate on something unknown."

Lilith couldn't help but chuckle. "Unown is an ancient Pokémon, darling. It's shaped like letters, but also… not really? It's a bit complicated to explain."

"Well, I'd love to hear some day!"

A few minutes passed, ending the massage. Meggie then sat on the bed and spread out her arms, yawning. That really worked, and she felt way more relaxed than before.

"Thank you! Guess I needed this."

"Y'all seemed so stressed! I'd offer Lance a massage, but something tells me he would… punt me, or worse."

Meggie shrugged. "Considering his deal, he probably would, yeah."

"Anything ya want to tell me about?"

"Just… thinking," Meggie looked down, frowning. "Thinking if I should ask Xerneas to try and get my memories back. I'm not sure if it's worth it."

"Hm. I understand that you're confused."

Meggie blinked, the sudden shift in Lilith's voice was huge, from a friendly one to something more… serious. She decided to shrug it off. Right now, Lilith was offering help.

"Of course! I'm not sure if I want to… but I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm just… like him."

Without warning, the bunny pulled Meggie into a deep hug. That was too much, and the Froslass began to weep, frosty tears streaming down. She embraced the hug and nodded.

Oh, it was so much for her. It was almost like her body would crack at any moment due to sheer pressure.

"I-I told myself I would be strong, for me and for my friends… I meant it! But now? Now I'm just… wanting to give up."

"There, there, everything will be alright? Okay~?" Lilith rubbed Meggie's head gently.

"What… what do I do, then? I don't want to be a burden…!"

"You don't need to be strong all the time. There's strength in weakness too, alright?"

"I… don't know."

Lilith continued to hug her friend and ally, for as long as Meggie wanted or needed.

"You… might need time to think about it, okay? Can you promise that?"

"...Yes."

Lilith nodded, pulling away from the embrace and standing up. Despite that, she managed to keep a smile on her face.

"Okay, then. Call me if ya need to!"

Meggie didn't answer, and the silence remained, even as Lilith left the room.

* * *

Brian kept hanging out with Max, both singing all the pirate songs each one could remember, ignoring the fact that neither had a good voice for songs. Suddenly, Brian plopped to the ground.

"...Okay, I'm tired of singing. And thirsty."

"I kinda need to stay here. Steering, y'know?" Max nodded with a drop of sweat running down his cheek.

"Yeah, yeah. By the way, how long until we get to the island? I was thinkin' of sleeping to sorta… skip time?" Brian shrugged. "I dunno."

Max sighed. "I guess… a few more days? Honestly, I hope that Morgan guy doesn't get there sooner than us. If he does the thing he wants to, who knows what'll happen?"

"Terrible things," said Meganium, having arrived next to them.

"Oh, miss Meganium! How are you?" Brian waved at her.

"Hmph. I was better before," she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm preparing our lunch. I'm not sure if you know, but travelling on a ship requires a specific type of diet."

They both nodded, Brian having a bit of drool on his mouth. "Cool!"

"It should be ready in about thirty minutes, so I'll see you then."

With that, she left the area.

* * *

Lance released an Aura Sphere into the water, and as he thought, it was lavender. Just like everything aura-related these last few weeks. He found it to be a bit annoying, as if he had no control over his emotions.

"This is ridiculous! I'm okay, why is it… like this? I even tried to accept these feelings so it would go back to normal, but no! It doesn't work! Of course it doesn't!"

Scar crossed his arms. "I told you before, maybe it's what the 'normal' state is for you."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Research. Never underestimate knowledge," Scar tapped his skull as he talked. "It can be your greatest weapon, do you understand?"

"Whatever," out of nowhere, Lance's sensors twitched again, and he looked at the sea, focusing the best he could to try and find the source.

"What is it?"

"I recognize this aura… from somewhere. Damn it! There's too many ferals in here to locate it properly!"

Like he said, Lance didn't sense anything. Or rather, there were too many things for him to sense, like finding a needle in a haystack. He focused harder, eyes beginning to glow.

Come on, come on!

Scar decided to take a look, but saw nothing more than the water hitting the wooden ship. However, he trusted Lance's instincts.

"Should we warn the others? We might be under attack."

"...I can't focus!" Lance shouted, stumbling back and covering his eyes. Scar heard a hissing sound coming from him.

The Marowak put his hand around Lance's shoulder. "You shouldn't be overworking yourself like this! Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine! It's… the trace is gone. I can't feel it anymore."

"Let's go inside. You need to rest, and I bet you're hungry."

Unable to protest, the duo went to the kitchen.

* * *

They stormed in, finding the table set, filled with various berries and Meganium in the back, wearing an apron fit for her body. For some reason, she was smiling.

"Ah, you arrived early! I just finished setting up everything. Come! You all must be hungry!"

"R-Right," Lance blinked.

She raised a brow. "Is there a problem, Lucario?"

"...I was expecting something else. But it's fine."

Lance sat down, shoving his anxiety away. It somehow worked, but he thought food would get his mind off all the stress and chomped down an oran berry.

At the same time, Meganium was talking with Scar, and the Marowak nodded, leaving the kitchen to call the others, leaving Lance alone with the grass-type.

As expected, they didn't talk much, just exchanging glances here and there. Lance, though, was expressing rage, biting down an apple with all his might. Meganium took notice of this and just chuckled. To her, this was more of a childish act than anything else.

"What's so funny?"

Meganium shrugged. "I don't know, why are you so angry? We're going to take down your abuser, shouldn't you be excited about this?"

"I'm… not a believer in legends," Lance stared at her with cold eyes. "Or at least, I don't want to believe in someone that stands around doing nothing while others suffer."

She created a vine, slapping Lance's face and leaving a mark. "How dare you?! My mistress works very hard!"

Lance simply rubbed off the mark on his cheek and laughed. "Oh, of course! And where was she when I needed, huh? When a child, and I repeat, a _child_ was tortured and abused?! Where was she?!"

Meganium laughed again. "Please, you can't put the blame of _your_ problems on someone else. That's… petty."

That was the last straw. Lance's heart started to beat faster, and he unwillingly let out a growl, shattering an apple he held into tiny pieces.

He didn't believe that. How stupid was that Meganium? Why did she defend them? Maybe she was just as part of the problem as the Legends.

"Petty?! Listen here!" Lance stood up, aura flaring up again as he raised his voice. "I suffered because the Legends you so desperately want to create excuses for don't do their jobs! Aren't they supposed to protect us, common folk?!"

Lance fell to his knees, trembling and wrapping his arms around himself. Meganium stood there, watching the breakdown that was happening. He clutched his face with both hands, grasping tight; his blood was boiling with anger, and Lance felt dizzy, nauseous, even, unable to focus or breathe properly.

"I-It's all because… because—"

A loud thud drew their attention as someone dashed towards Lance, hugging him, taking care not to touch the spike, even if it was deformed. It was Brian, having heard the commotion from the ship's deck. He brushed off all the uneasy feelings about his brother for the moment, considering Lance's wellbeing more important.

"It's… it's gonna be alright, Lance… okay? You'll be fine, we'll be fine…"

The Lucario burst into tears, grabbing Brian's back with his paws. Right now, he felt like a kid again, like that small Riolu he once was, scared and hurt. But the warmth of the hug worked, slowly but surely, as Lance put his head on Brian's chest fluff, breathing quietly.

"Thank… thank you…"

Helping his brother stand up, Brian looked at Meganium, furious with her. The grass-type scoffed, walking to the table and sitting down on the ground. The other Pokémon soon joined them, to eat and relax. It seemed like they all needed it.

* * *

The meal went on for countless minutes, and even if it had no meat in it, everyone enjoyed the food. Brian, specifically, savoured the sweet and watery flavor of a watmel berry, spitting out the seeds on his plate.

"Yummy! Who knew berries could taste so good?!" Brian nodded, picking up another one and chomping down on it.

"Well, I am in touch with nature," Meganium raised her head. "It's only natural that I know how to properly serve berries."

Max swallowed an entire pinap berry, but regretted soon after, sticking out his tongue, a mix of spiciness and soreness on it.

"Okay, this is not for me! And uh, where did you even get it?"

Meganium pointed two vines at Lance and Scar. "Well, considering they rented this ship, I proposed to shop for groceries. Seems like it was the right call here."

Meggie blinked, nearly choking on a aguav berry, swallowing it just in time. "W-W-What?! You two rented an entire _ship_?! How rich are you guys?!"

They both exchanged looks and shrugged.

"Dad owns a guild, our allowance is huge. And this job pays well."

"What mister Williams said. As for me, I have financial support from a king, as I said before."

Meggie lowered her head and sighed. "I just wanted to confirm I'm not crazy…"

Lance stood up, picking an oran berry and biting it. "I'll be off, need to check on something. Don't wait for me."

He stormed off before any of them had the chance to reply.

* * *

Despite coming out to, as his brother would say, "brood", Lance was actually calm. Something about the wind reminded him of his town's beach, where he used to play with his father.

"Ah, the memories… of a time where I was actually happy."

Chomping down the last bit of the berry, Lance twitched his ears, hearing a loud thunder in the distance. He decided to check it out, and saw a few storm clouds headed north.

This time, however, it were his feelers that perked up, as Lance narrowly dodged an incoming scythe attack from the air. He stumbled back and looked up again, and there he saw it: the Garchomp from before!

"Heh! Looks like it's the failed experiment!" Derek chuckled, flying. He opened his mouth, fire coming out from inside his throat.

"Tsc," Lance focused, eyes glowing purple as he created an energy bone. His eyes darted around the ship as he calculated the trajectory.

He threw the bone into the air and it hit the mast, being ricocheted into Derek's snout. The result was the Garchomp swallowing his own move, making him lose his focus and crash into the sea again.

"He'll be back soon…" Lance took a deep breath and, with his red bracelet, created an aura gauntlet.

Lance heard the door to the kitchen opening, followed by all the others, now by his side in the deck. He didn't even need to explain the situation, as everyone was now in a combat position, forming a circle around each other.

"It's that Garchomp… everyone, be care—"

They were interrupted by a loud, deafening roar that made the waves rumble around the ship. Lance's sensors picked up again, and he shivered at what caused it; a powerful aura that only seemed to grow more by the second.

"What's going on?!" Meggie gulped, shards of ice in her hand.

From the sea, came a long, serpentine body, enveloped in rainbow energy; a Gyarados.

They could only watch as the enemy Pokémon became bulkier, the fins on its cheeks became longer and gained a yellow tint. Its crest grew larger and black, and its barbels also gained considerable length. A large spike extended downward underneath its chin, and it now had a black underside with a red stripe around the edges. The yellow spots along its body were replaced by raised red scales.

Gyarados' energy aura faded away and it roared, shaking the ship. Derek emerged from the water, flying right by Gyarados' side. He had a wide smirk on his face, even if it was scorched due to the previous attack.

"I-It mega evolved!" Scar pointed out, preparing his club to attack.

Lance looked back. "We need a plan… Gyarados is a water-type and flying-type, who here has electric moves?!"

Brian and Max raised their hands. Nodding, they both stepped forward, but stumbled back, seeing that Gyarados had wrapped part of the ship between its grasp.

"I'll distract it! You two strike with all you got!" Lance dashed, aura gauntlet in hand. He aimed at the beast's eye and fired the gauntlet. It homed in on its target, hitting the mega Pokémon, who proceeded to roar in pain.

This was the opportunity the other two needed, Max snapped his fingers, hands wrapped in electricity. Brian did the same, but using his gauntlet. They both punched the scaly hide in the middle of the ship, making the electrical current spread across that section of Gyarados and weaken its grasp on the ship.

* * *

Meanwhile, Meggie floated in the air, dodging most of Derek's strikes against her. However, this was exhausting to her, and she found herself falling down.

Meganium caught her using her vines, gently laying her down. Derek, though, continued to smirk.

"Whoa, when boss told me about you, I thought you would be… stronger? Heh. Guess I was wrong."

Meggie pouted, getting up. "If you're so strong, why do you need to take us down, anyway? It's not like we even have chances of winning!"

Meganium frowned. "Froslass, I don't think that's a good idea. Mocking him, I mean."

Derek widened his eyes and snarled, preparing to use his fire attack once more. However, a sharp pain on his head took his attention out of it, and launched him into the sea.

Lilith fell to the ship's deck, sighing in relief. She tapped the ground, taking some of the scales from her feet.

"Thank you," Meggie smiled. "It worked!"

However, the Garchomp arose once more, this time, his speech was reduced to growls and snarls. He was done with all the fighting and submerging, so he took a deep breath in, flames surrounding his mouth.

"S-Shoot! How are we supposed to defeat that guy?!"

To make matters worse, Gyarados wrapped its tail around the deck again, despite the efforts of the others, including Scar, who launched his bone club into the Gyarados' forehead.

"Mister Williams!" Scar jumped, picking up his club. "We're facing off against two megas, don't you think you should use the emera?!"

Lance didn't answer, and stumbled back, falling to his knees. The situation was terrible, both sides trying to contain the enemy forces, but failing to do so.

Perhaps Scar was right. Maybe… maybe he had to use the emera. He looked at the looplet, and the stone. It called to him, just like it did before. But this time, he hesitated. What if he hurt his friends? He wasn't a hero, of course not. And even if everything worked out, who was to say his friends wouldn't still be mad at him?

"...Without reward."

Words his father said to him and Brian, in a time when they were kids. Lance stood up, raising his arm in the air, and closed his eyes.

* * *

The emera glowed, transferring all its energy to Lance. Like the last time he did it, the auric Pokémon screamed in pain, feeling his body shift and grow. Soon enough, the aura shifted into lavender again, and Lance panted.

"..."

He opened his eyes, glowing much like his body. With one step forward, he left a crack on the ship's wood. Everyone was still fighting, although every now and then someone looked at him, whether it was fear or shock.

His gaze turned from Gyarados to the mast, and then to Derek, high up in the air. With a smirk that showed his fangs, Lance ran towards the mast, gathering distance until he jumped at it, kicking the wood with his legs.

Swiftly, Lance looked at the mega Pokémon his brother was up against, and in a quick movement, he jumped off of the mast, creating violet aura claws with his gauntlet. He landed on Gyarados' face and slashed it with the claw, forcing it to retreat and drop blood on the deck.

Still not done, Lance jumped from the water-type into the air, aiming towards Derek. The Garchomp, busy with the females attacking him, didn't notice, and received a punch to his face that shot him backwards.

Finally, Lance landed in the wooden deck, panting in exhaustion; using so many movements and so quickly drained him. But somehow, he felt he wasn't done yet. His aura sensors picked up, seeing everyone else staring at him.

To him, they were trying to attack him, and to that, he let out a snarl. No! He wouldn't be killed, not by them! Not by anyone! Yet, despite that, his body was failing him, and he fell on his knees.

"L-Lance?! A-Are you okay, buddy? Please, talk to me!" Brain tried to hug his brother again, but was received by a fearsome slash. He gasped, ears drooping.

Another roar came out, and Gyarados emerged with Derek on top of its head. The water Pokémon opened its mouth, charging a white energy beam.

Brian gasped, his fur standing on its end as he recognized that move: Hyper Beam. To his shock, the others had mostly the same reaction… except Lance.

Lance gave one step forward and raised his arm, creating an aura shield that wrapped itself around the others.

"Too bad. I kinda liked fighting you guys. Well… doubt that you'll survive, so… see you all in the Distortion World!"

Gyarados fired the move, and everything seemed to freeze in time, Lance staring at the attack as it drew near them. Once it hit, he nearly fell back, but instead, felt something holding onto him; his friends. They were helping him contain the blast.

Despite their best efforts, the ship was collapsing, wood breaking apart. Still, Lance kept holding on as best as he could, even if his body felt numb, even if everyone hated him… he had to.

"K-Keep… keep it up, Lance!" Brian shouted, struggling not to pass out. Or worse.

Even with the combined strength of everyone, the pressure was simply too much. The mast fell down behind them, breaking more of the wood, enough to give the ship a hole and making it start sinking.

"C-Come… on!" Lance's vision blurred and finally, they fell down on the sea.


End file.
